Promises

Esme's point of view

I sat on Carlisle's lap and tried to think of what to say to him. He rested his chin on my head and smiled down at me. I sighed in contentment. Then I remembered the last time I had felt completely happy. Everything was snatched from me by Charles; the night my Edward was conceived.

I shivered violently and started to cry. Carlisle asked softly, "Esme love, what's the matter?"

I couldn't look into his golden eyes and tell him what had happened to me. I stared ahead and tried to regain composer. My angel wouldn't leave me alone though. He gently used his cold fingers to wipe away my tears and spoke softly, "Esme. Tell me what's wrong. Honey did he hurt you again?"

I swallowed back tears and shook my head, "It's nothing. I… don't want to talk about it."

Carlisle golden eyes hardened and he glared at me. I still didn't speak. I covered my face with my hands. Then his cold hands roughly shook me hard.

I shrank away from his touch. I didn't know what he would do to me and didn't care to find out. Carlisle noticed this and removed his hands, "Honey look at me. I would never hurt you. You know that Esme."

I refused to look at him and tears fell down my cheeks and I couldn't stop them. He didn't understand that he did something that reminded me of Charles. I stood up and ran to my room.

Carlisle's point of view

I watched her run away from me for the second time that night. I cursed myself for not being gentle with her. If she married Charles it would be my fault. I growled as I thought his name.

Quickly I made my way into the underbelly to endure another painful night alone. I sat at the piano and started to play her lullaby. Then I had an idea. I grabbed a blank piece of sheet music and began to write down exactly how she made me feel.

Esme had saved me. She taken a life filled with pain, sorrow, regret, and self loathing and turned it into something worthwhile. I waited until I heard Meg and Madame Masen leave the room. Then I snuck into her room and sat beside her on the bed. I pulled her head into my lap and softly sang, "Shamed into solitude shunned by the multitude I learned to listen. In my dark my heart heard music. I longed to teach the world. Rise up and reach the world. No one would listen. I alone could hear the music. Then at last her voice in the gloom seemed to cry I hear you. I hear your fears, your torment and your tears. She saw my loneliness shared in my emptiness. No one would listen. No one but her heard as outcast hears."

Her heart beat became irregular and she sobbed in her sleep, "Don't leave me I love you."

I lightly touched her cheek, "Esme, my darling Esme. I would never ever leave you."

When that didn't work I picked her up and rocked her in my arms. I place a kiss on her stomach as well and murmured, "I love you Edward."

I left after she went back to sleep again but not before writing a note, "Esme, I'm sorry about last night I just want to know what happened to you I love you

I'll see you tonight.

Love Carlisle

I didn't know if she would come to me or not. I sighed and tried not to think of the disappointment I'd feel if she didn't show. I went back into the underbelly and tried to think of what to say to her if she did show.

Later that night she came in through the mirror. I was playing her lullaby on the piano when she came over and sat next to me. I took her hand and whispered, "Esme I'm so sorry for what I did. I know I frightened you. I just need to know what happened to you. Please love."

She hesitated but only for a minute then she took a deep breath before she answered, "I'll tell you but it's not a pretty story."

I nodded and hugged her, "I'm here Esme no one will ever hurt you again."

Esme's point of view

I stared into Carlisle's eyes and started to explain the horror that I had lived through. I swallowed, "I was seventeen and my father called me into his office and said he had a date lined up for me. I wasn't into dating yet. All the same I put on a smile and he introduced me to Charles."

I stopped talking when I saw Carlisle stiffen. Lightly I brushed my hand against his cold cheek, "I don't have to tell you anymore if you can't handle it…"

He surprised me by saying, "You can keep telling me honey. I'm just sorry you had to go through that."

I nodded, "Everything was perfect at first. The dinner was wonderful. He kept ordering me fancy drinks. I didn't realize something was wrong until he took me home. I had a headache and asked for a glass of water. Charles got it for me. After I drank it I began to almost instantly fall asleep. When I woke up I didn't remember much. Every fiber of my body ached. At first I thought it was a hangover but then I saw a small puddle of fresh blood on the sheets. I rolled over and saw Charles lying in bed with me.

I quickly jumped out of bed and took a long hot shower. I felt sick to my stomach. How could I have let him have sex with me? I had to tell my father. I had to tell him everything."

I got out of the shower and got dressed slowly due to pain. I was just about to leave the room when Charles woke up. He grabbed my wrist, "Where do you think you are going? If you tell your father anything about this I will kill him! Now get back into bed with me honey and we can forget this whole horrible thing."

My body froze I didn't know what to do. I was terrified. I didn't want my father to be hurt but I wanted nothing more then to run to him. Charles repeated himself, "Get into bed."

I was stuck. Quickly I un- froze and climbed into the bed again. I kept my mouth shut for six months. Then one morning I was informed that my father was sick. I made up my mind that I had to tell him the truth. I owed him that much.

I got dressed and tried to think of how to tell my father. I was on my way out the door when Charles woke up, "Where are you going?"

I didn't answer him and kept walking. What I didn't know was I was making the biggest mistake of my life. Charles slapped me hard across the face. Then he kicked me in the ribs and I heard a crack.

My mouth gaped open causing me more pain as I struggled to get off the floor. I stood up and stared at him. I wasn't afraid like he wanted me to be. I was angry. I snapped curtly, "I'm going to see my father. He's sick. Now if you don't move I'm going to call the police. I've kept my mouth shut for six months and I've had enough of it! I will not fear you! I refuse to live like a prisoner in my own home."

Charles let go of me but he growled, "Fine go but you will pay for this!"

I quickly ran to my father's bedroom. It was dark so I couldn't see his face. I took his hand, "Father, its Esme."

I didn't know if he was awake or asleep. It startled me when he answered, "There's my favorite girl. Charles behaved himself like a gentle man I'm sure. The boy will be good to you."

I swallowed back tears and shook my head. He noticed this and asked, "Esme what's the matter? You've been such a far cry from yourself lately. Did he hurt you?"

That did it for me. I broke down sobbing into my father's arms. In a fraction of a second he stopped rubbing my back and stroking my hair.

I pulled my head off his shoulder, "Father? Please say something."

My father silently made his way to the chest of drawers and pulled a velvet bag of money out. He smiled sadly at me, "You have to marry him."

I gasped my father couldn't be serious. He was sick. The fever was playing games with his mind. My father loves me very much. Why in the name of God if there was a God is he marrying me off to a man who raped, has beaten and threatened me?"

A nurse came into the bed chamber with my father's medicine but he waved her away. Then he called me over to his bedside, "Little Lotte, when I am in heaven child I will send the angel of music to you."

I had to swallow back the bile that rose in my throat. I choked out, "No. You are just a little under the weather. You'll be fine. You've got to be."

He squeezed my hand, "Esme my time is coming. I need you to be strong. I have to know my angel will be safe from harm. The angel of music will watch and guide you no matter what. I love you."

I closed my eyes. I prayed to God that this was a nightmare. When I opened them Madame Masen a family friend was standing beside me. Her eyes were red from crying. She pulled me into her arms, "I'm so sorry dear…"

I put my hand over my mouth and began to sob loudly and unrestrained. My father was dead. I barely heard Madame Masen when she told me she was taking me to stay at the opera house. My hand absentmindedly fiddled with the bag of coins in my pocket and the locket around my neck. Madame Masen saw this and smiled sadly at me, "I know dear child. He won't ever hurt you again. What he did to you was very wrong. I'll protect you."

I rested my head on her shoulder and fell into a fitful sleep. My first few weeks in the opera house were awful. I missed my father terribly and I barely slept. Elizabeth Masen kept her promise to me but I still felt very alone.

One night Elizabeth suggested I go and light a candle for my father. She helped me build a shrine with a picture of him and then set three unlighted candle sticks in a holder. Then she left me alone. That was the first night I heard your voice.

Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed so hard it actually hurt, "That bastard! God I'll..."

I cut him off; I had to make him understand that if he retaliated then Charles would take his anger out on me and possible kill Edward. Softly I began to sing, "Twisted everyway what answer can I give? Can I risk my life to win the chance to live? Can I betray the man who once inspired my voice? Do I become his prey? Do I have any choice? He kills without a thought? He murders all that's good. I know I can't refuse and yet I wish I could. God if I agree what horrors wait for me in this the phantom's opera?"

Carlisle cupped my cheek in his hand and softly whispered, "Esme I will do what ever it takes to make you and Edward safe again. I love him like he is my own son."

I kissed his cheek and said something I had thought since the night I told him I was pregnant, "You are his father. I'm not sure of anything but I'm very sure about you and how much you love me. If Charles finds me I won't ever see you again. He'll take me do you understand. He'll keep me and Edward under lock and key somewhere and we'll die."

I watched my angel's face contort into a mask of pain and wished I hadn't said that. Then he pulled me close to him and sang, "You said yourself he was nothing but a man. While he lives he will haunt us until we are dead."

Carlisle's point of view

I couldn't believe Esme didn't want Charles dead after everything he put her through. I couldn't believe her father was going to force her to marry the sick bastard. I knew I had to kill him or he was going to kill Esme and Edward. My… my son; I wasn't about to allow anyone to hurt my reasons for existence my family.

I heard Esme sobbing softly and pulled her to my stone chest. Softly I whispered, "Shh... it's alright Esme. I'm here."

I kissed every inch of her beautiful face and then trailed kisses on her stomach, "Daddy's here Edward. I promise no one will ever hurt you. I love you."

Third person point of view

Renesmee stared at Carlisle with confused eyes, "Pops was daddy Esme's son?"

Carlisle nodded his head and looked at his granddaughter with sad eyes. He wasn't proud of keeping this from Edward. He had promised Edward when he first found he could read minds he would never hide the truth from him.

Nessie asked, "Does Daddy know he's yours and Grandma's son?"

Carlisle shook his head, "I've been trying to find a way to tell him for years Nessie. See when a vampire is changed their human memories fade. Please keep this piece of information to yourself. I will tell your father everything when I find a way to do it that won't upset him."

Later that night Edward was putting Renesmee to bed Bella and the others hand gone for a hunt. Alice had informed him that it was important he have some father daughter time. He was just about to turn off the light when he felt his daughter grab his hand, "What is it Ness? It's way passed your bed time."

Renesmee put her hand to her father's cheek and showed him everything that she had read so far. Edward turned away from his daughter. He couldn't believe what he had seen. Carlisle and Esme were his real parents and they never told him. His body shook with silent sobs that he couldn't stop.

Renesmee put her hand on her father's shoulder, "Daddy Pops said he'd explain everything to you."

Edward then grew angry. He stood up from the bed and snapped, "Explain why he didn't want me! Explain why he lied about being my father! Why he allowed me to think my mother was dead for centuries and I didn't get to see her anymore!"

Edward grabbed the booked and tore the rest of the pages out of it then left the room with them. Renesmee felt terrible about what she did and cried herself to sleep.