An: I can't even begin to beg for forgiveness on how late this chapter is. All I can do is hope that everyone is still on board with me.

I honestly don't have an excuse for the lateness. I am a very lazy creature by habit and that added upon a very bad case of writer's block equals an inexcusably late chapter. I'm sorry and although I can't promise it won't happen again, I will try very hard to get the chapters written in a more prompt fashion from now on.

Thank You SOOO MUCH to all the reviews I recieved on chapter 11. I never dreamed that I would get 50 reviews, let alone over 160! Everyone here has been so supportive so thanks a billion.

IMPORTANT NOTE: My timeline in regards to this story might be off a bit. If so then please try your hardest to overlook it. I won't be going back to fix it simply because the timeline was the cause of my writer's block and the topic frustrates the crap out of me. Hopefully if troubles of that sort arise, they won't be so earthshattering as to take away from the story itself. Thank you ^^

I disclaim


Edward's POV

I couldn't be happier for our resident couple. Honestly. Their joy is my joy. The fact that Carlisle and Esme finally admitted their feelings to each other instead of agonizing over it in their minds was a huge relief. However, if I have to hear about how 'absolutely ravishing' Esme looks in her dress one more time, I will seriously consider moving to Alaska. It's been three months since Esme and Carlisle infamous venture into the woods and I have yet to hear them think about anything other then each other.

"Edward?" Esme called me quietly from the living room. I had been attempting, with minimal success, to tune the both of them out ever since Carlisle arrived home from work. I have discovered that if I concentrate intensely upon something, my powers do not work as loudly. Needless to say, I've been practicing a lot recently.

I silently opened my door and slid down the winding banister to the first floor, landing flawlessly in front of Carlisle. "You appear to hold some sort of vendetta against using the stairs." He tonelessly observed. I ignored him, instead turning toward Esme.

"Carlisle and I are considering going on a hunting trip." She smiled "Would you join us?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I went earlier this week. You two should make it a date." A week without having to listen to them worship each other would be a week well-spent. Carlisle grinned knowingly at my guarded expression.

We can't help our thoughts Edward. One day you will understand how we feel.

"I know a little too well how you feel Carlisle." I responded. His smile widened as Esme glanced back and forth, confused. Carlisle assured her that it was nothing important.

Esme sighed, "Well, if you are sure you don't mind spending the week by yourself…"

"No problem at all." I reassured her. She didn't like the thought of me possibly being lonely. Out of all the voices in my head, Esme's was one of the purest. She always placed others before herself.

Carlisle tugged at her sleeve, flashing a brilliant smile flirtatiously. "Race you to the waterfall?" Her answering laugh was like a wind chime as she followed at his heels out the door.

I stared at the spot where they vanished into the woods, their thoughts fading slowly with the wind. Recently I've felt restless and lonely, as if I was walking though the world by myself with everyone else around me on fast forward. I've tried hard not to let my lethargy show so as not to worry my 'parents' but lately Esme has been suspicious. Hopefully a week full of Carlisle and deer will deter her away from worried thoughts of me.


Esme's POV

Carlisle always lets me win. He claims that because of my newborn status, I am faster then he but I could see him slowing down to allow me to pass. His gentlemanly nature is one of the many things I find myself absolutely infatuated with.

We frolicked underneath the waterfall for a while, chasing each other and wrestling. The water must have been nearly freezing with December right around the corner, but of course we couldn't feel it, even though the air around us was a bitter 30 degrees. The water froze to our skin as we finally emerged from the stream, making Carlisle appear even more glorious in the waning sunlight. I smiled to myself, thanking whoever was listening up above for my newfound family.

Carlisle tugged on a lock of my frozen hair, ice crackling in his grip, before pointing at a buck pawing at the snow nearly 200 yards through the trees. I smiled at him before darting after the deer. Another race was on.

Our fun continued until a couple of hours before dawn broke, until a time when it seemed the earth stood still. Nighttime creatures were just beginning to settle themselves down to sleep and morning creatures contemplated waking. As Carlisle and I lay together in the freshly fallen snow, it seemed as if we were the only creatures on earth. Once upon a time I would have been terrified at the thought of being alone. Now, it seemed that nothing could come close to bursting the pocket of warmth and contentment which surrounded me. Carlisle completed me in ways I never before experienced, and in ways I know I will never go without experiencing again.

I shifted to lay my head upon his shoulder and without any hesitation his arm wrapped securely around my waist, tucking me even more completely into him. I sighed, a habitual human gesture which I wasn't sure I wanted to banish. Although Carlisle could usually tell whenever something was on my mind, he was also enough of a gentleman to keep from broaching the topic until I was ready to talk about it. The small gesture let him know I was ready.

I leaned upon one elbow and looked down into his golden topaz eyes. He arched a brow inquiringly and played with the ends of my hair. Looking away, I shrugged.

"I'm worried about Edward."

His brows came together slowly and a small furrow developed upon his forehead as he nodded. "You noticed as well then?"

"He doesn't seem… content" I continued, sitting up completely. Carlisle hand fell away from my hair to the ground. "He's not irritable, not really moody… he just seems…" I waved my hand trying to come up with the word to call it.

"Restless?" Carlisle filled in my blank.

"Yeah… What if it's my fault? I just barged in on his life all of a sudden and… "

"He already loves you Esme. That's not it. His restlessness must be attributed to something else."

"Well… perhaps it's not to do with me, but rather the circumstances." I attempted to rationalize the subtle changes in his behavior in my mind. "What if… what if he's lonely?" Carlisle looked thoughtful as I continued. "I never realized how lonely I was until you found me. I never understood how much I needed someone like you in my life. Edward deserves this kind of happiness."

"Esme, love, it's not so simple for our kind. Finding you was a miracle. There are so many variable…so many things to consider." He ran his hand through his hair in contemplation. "Not only would she have to be of our species, a rarity I might add, but also it's important that she is of our… sort." He gave a small smile. "Edward also just so happens to be incredibly picky."

I laid my head back upon his shoulder and stared at the stars. "I hate seeing him unhappy."

"I do too." Carlisle murmured into my hair. "We'll watch out for him, things will work out.


Edward's POV

She's so stuck up.

She's not even THAT pretty.

Look at how she fauns over him... it's ridiculous!

'Ah… must be the wonderfully charming, Rosalie Hale.' I thought dryly as I walked through the lobby of Carlisle's bank and stood behind an elderly couple in line. Her engagement to the wealthy heir to the King throne seemed to be all that this town was capable of think about lately. I didn't really understand what was so interesting… rich, pretty humans almost always married other rich, pretty humans. Why continue discussing a cliché of such profound proportions weeks after the fact? I rubbed at my temples wearily, vampires shouldn't even get headaches.

Carlisle and Esme were expected home tomorrow and I had put off going into town to run the few errands he had asked of me. Thankfully this was my last stop. I forced my thoughts away from those of the gaggle of teenaged girls in the corner and instead focused upon the piece I was composing for Esme. A gradual accelerando in the fifth measure would round out the beginning nicely.

My thoughts continued in this fashion as I stepped up to the counter and completed Carlisle instructed transaction, yet returned to Rosalie Hale as I passed her talking to the eldest King boy on my way out the door. She gave me a glance full of haughty self-importance before flipping her long blonde hair and returning to her conversation. I stifled a smile and left the bank. Rosalie Hale never failed to amuse me with her holier-then-thou attitude. Her thoughts nearly always focused upon competitions, mostly dealing with outward beauty, and therefore the arrival of my superhuman family nearly upended her picture perfect world. One would think that such a self-centered woman would take the dose of humility and be a better person because of it. However, it would seem, based upon her thoughts, that such a notion was asking entirely too much of the future Mrs. King. She continued to live in her fantasy world and generally make the world an uglier place. If I could bring myself to care a bit more about it, I might like a front row ticket to watch when her nice little dreamland crashed around her.

I let myself into the front door of our house and sat back down at the piano. Musical notes and ideas swirling around in my head once more. With any luck I could finish putting the final touches on Esme's composition before they arrived tomorrow. I shoved all thoughts of Rosalie Hale into the back corners of my mind, where they lay nearly forgotten for several weeks to come.


Don't forget to review =]