DISCLAIMER: Much to my dismay I do not own any of Stephenie Meyer's characters. I would love to, but I guess I'll have to settle for making them do as I please.
I also have nothing whatsoever to do with over Linkin Park or anyone affiliated with the band. Again much to my dismay. Can't catch a break. I just love their music :D
Changes to the band – character replacements:
Chester Bennington – Edward Cullen (lead vocals)
Mike Shinoda – Emmett McCarty (MC, vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards)
Rob Bourdon – Jasper Whitlock (drums, percussion)
Again, send your special thanks to Shelby0321 for hassling my arse. Jailward is up next, whom she has been pushing me to update for about a week now. I would have, but halfway through writing that chapter, inspiration for this one hit me. Hope you likely.
Esme
I knew that the way I had followed Carlisle over the years was wrong. In essence, I had abandoned my son. I knew that it was wrong of me to have done that, but Carlisle held a power over me that I didn't understand.
But that's over now.
I knew, as soon as I walked into the house that something was different. Carlisle was different.
He held a look that I didn't understand as I walked into the house.
"Carlisle?" I walked over to him, slowly, as one would a dangerous predator. "Carlisle, what's the matter?"
"Your son wanted some answers today." He sneered at me and I could tell that he had been drinking. I hated Carlisle when he drank. He frightened me, as he was unpredictable.
"What?" I couldn't really believe what I was hearing. "What did you just say?"
"He came around wanting answers." He repeated, his words slurring slightly as he knocked back another glass of some expensive scotch. "So I gave them to him."
"What did you do?" I asked, my words coming out more confidently than I felt. I was slightly proud of myself, being able to speak to Carlisle in that way. I hadn't been able to speak my mind to him in twenty-eight years, after finding out that I was expecting Edward. "Carlisle? What. Did. You. Do?"
"I told him what he needed to hear." He spat back, turning to face me, his expression angry.
"You told him that . . . ." I couldn't finish the sentence because his expression told me all I needed to know.
Edward knew that Carlisle wasn't his father.
I couldn't say anything to Carlisle. No words could express my disgust with his actions and my hate for him in that moment. I turned on my heel, my shopping still in my hands and marched out of the door. I knew what I to do. I knew what needed to be done.
I had to find Edward.
As I climbed into my car I heard Carlisle shouting at me to come back into the house. I thought about where Edward would be. My thoughts immediately went to Seattle, because I knew that was where his band was performing tomorrow evening. I couldn't help but smile as I thought about Edward's success. What Carlisle didn't realise was that I had known all about Edward's career and I had all the CDs that they had released. I kept them all in a small closet that Carlisle didn't go into. As far as he was concerned, it was full of my shoes and cosmetics so he had no reason to go in there. If he had even considered that I had Edward's music hidden away from him. I had my iPod in my glove box, which was also packed with the music that had come from the heart of my son. The message of some of the songs hadn't escaped me. I knew that some of them were about the abandonment that Edward had felt as a child. I turned on my iPod, linking it into the stereo system in my car as I drove. I flicked it onto one of my favourite songs from my son, Shadow of the Day. It was a sad song, but it was so emotional, that I couldn't help but love it.
As I reached the end of the driveway, I quickly thought of Bella. If Edward was here, her house would be the first place he would go, and the last place he would leave, right?
I mean, she was expecting his babies. My grand-babies. I felt so proud at hearing Bella was pregnant with Edward's children, but as Carlisle was there behind me, I hadn't been able to express that fact. Now, I didn't care what Carlisle thought. He was my son, and I was going to be there when he needed me from now on.
I turned towards the town, towards Bella's house instead of towards Seattle. Even if he wasn't there, then I could quickly head to Seattle.
I made it to Bella's house before the song had finished so I turned off the car, allowing the sound system to continue playing as I let my son's voice wash over me. It was beautiful and I couldn't help the tears that spilled down my cheeks. I sat there for a few minutes, sobbing, not even realising that there were two figures on the porch, watching me.
I wiped my eyes and saw that it was Tanya and Bella standing there, Bella looking incredibly radiant as she stood there carrying my grandchildren.
I sniffed once more before climbing out of the car and facing the two women. Their hard expressions softened ever so slightly as they saw the state I was in.
"Esme?" Tanya called, walking down to meet me as I made my way over to the house. "Esme, what happened?"
"He told me what happened." I whispered and Tanya scowled. "Is he here?"
"I don't know, Esme." Bella had appeared next to Tanya, an apprehensive look on her face. "Today's been hard on him."
"I know." I nodded, unable to stop the tears that began to overflow down my cheeks. "I know. I just. I need to see him. I . . . I know that the way I went along with how Carlisle treated him was wrong and I . . . I hate myself more than anyone else in the world can. I just . . . I need to let him know that I love him. I know I don't have the right to ask anything of him but . . . I need my baby."
"Esme." Bella sighed, a sad smile on her face. She rested a hand on my shoulder before pulling me into a hug, that was made a little awkward by her unmissable belly. "He needs his mommy." She whispered in my ear and I pulled back, surprised at her admission on behalf of my son. "He's always needed you. He just didn't know how to voice that. He still needs you, Esme. He always will."
I needed to see him. I needed to see if what Bella was saying was true. Not that I didn't believe her, but I guess I needed to see it with my own eyes and feel it in my own heart.
"Do you think he'll want to see me?" I asked, looking at the two of them, hoping that the answer was yes. It was more than I deserved, but I had to hope.
They looked at each other before looking back to me and nodding, smiling slightly.
"Come on." Bella whispered, taking my hand and leading me back to the house.
They led me upstairs, Tanya behind Bella and I, yet making her way over to Bella's bed.
I couldn't help but feel tears pricking at my eyes again as I took in the sleeping form of my son. He looked so innocent and peaceful laying there that it reminded me of when he was a child. I would always watch him sleep, watching as his eyelids fluttered as he was lost in his dreams, calming him if he was having a nightmare. Just revelling in the beauty that was my sleeping son.
Tanya sat down next to him, gently running her fingers over his cheek, waking him up gently. I couldn't help the small smile that graced my lips as his nose scrunched up at the disturbance to his sleep. He had always woken up like that and it made something inside of me glow to see that he held some traits he had had as a child. "Hey, sleepy." She whispered, a slight humour in her tone. "There's someone here to see you." She glanced up at me briefly, so quickly I wouldn't have noticed it, if I hadn't been trained on everything the two of them had been doing. "Give them a chance." She whispered softly, smiling at me. I smiled back at her, my hope that he would shining through.
He rolled over to face me and I could see the surprise in his eyes. Hell, I'd be surprised to see me standing here as well if I were him. He'd no doubt thought that I would stay home with Carlisle, not knowing that he came first.
"Edward." I couldn't make my voice work properly, so it came out as a whisper. "I'm so sorry." I slowly made my way over to him as he sat up, clearly judging my distance from him. I looked into his eyes, his beautiful emerald eyes, seeing the pain buried deep within those depths.
I expected him to demand I leave him alone, that I leave and not come back, to tell me that he hated me and that he never wanted to see me again. I would have graciously accepted that response and left him be. Well, it would have been gracious until I got into the car, then I wouldn't have been able to move.
What I was not expecting was for him to wrap his arms around my waist and bury his face in my stomach, clutching me close to him. I had to hold myself up as my knees nearly buckled in relief as I wrapped my arms around him, clutching my baby to me as I should have done every day for his entire life. I gently ran my fingers through his bronze hair, marvelling in how thick it was and how it changed colour, becoming an almost golden colour when the light hit it in a certain way. He was certainly unique and perfect the way he was. And I hated myself for not embracing him as my baby since the day he was born. If only I hadn't been so fearful of Carlisle.
I sat down on Bella's bed next to him, and he shifted along with me, resting his head on my shoulder. I started humming a tune that I had sung to him when he was deep in slumber as a child. It would always calm him when he was having a nightmare, so I hoped it would do the same now.
He seemed to relax as I hummed and I hoped that there was some of my little boy left in there and hopefully he would let his mom in. It was more than I deserved, him being here in my arms and it was more than I'd hoped for. He had wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to him, and I hoped to God that what Bella had told me was true. That he needed me as much as I needed him.
Right now, I was just going to play it by ear. If he wanted me here, then I was staying. If he wanted me gone, I'd back away, but I'd never stop watching him. Whether he believed it or not, I loved him and he was definitely coming first from here on in. He should have done. Always. It just took me too long to realise that I was listening to the wrong man in my life.
But that was going to change. With my son in my arms, I was going to change everything for him. And I knew that I could.
Edward
Waking up, I was aware of the unfamiliar yet comforting arms surrounding me. I knew who it was instantly.
My mom.
I had never thought that this would happen. She had always taken the side of my father, so her being here, with me was something of an enormous shock.
I looked up at her, to see her smiling down at me, tears in her eyes.
I tightened my grasp on her, not wanting to let her go, knowing that this moment might not last.
"Hey, baby." She whispered, running her fingers through my hair as she had done the previous night. "Sshh. I'm not going anywhere." She said it with such conviction that I almost believed her. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm here to stay with you. As long as you want me here, I'm here."
I wanted to tell her that I never wanted her to leave, but the words wouldn't come.
"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry." She whispered, pressing her lips to my forehead. "I'm so sorry. For everything. I know that doesn't make a difference to anything that has happened, but . . ." She sniffed, unable to finish her sentence.
"It does." I mumbled back, my head still buried in her shoulder, not wanting to move. "It does make a difference."
She clutched me closer to her, holding me as tightly as I was her. "I love you, my baby. I always have."
"Then . . . why?" I looked up at her, seeing her expression sadden as she understood what I was asking. She knew I was asking her why she had allowed Carlisle to treat me in the fashion that he had as I was growing up. Why she hadn't done anything to stop it. Why she hadn't shown me the love I needed.
"I was afraid." She replied, looking me in the eye. "I know it's not a valid excuse, but Carlisle . . . he scared me. I was afraid of him. I still am to an extent, but I know now that I don't need an influence like him in my life. I don't need someone like that . . ."
Was she saying what I think she was saying? Was she saying that she was leaving Carlisle?
"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to clarify what she was saying.
"I don't need him anymore." The look in her eye was the same one I had when I wasn't going to be moved on an opinion or decision. "I don't need to be with someone as . . . cruel as he is."
"You're leaving him?"
She thought for a moment, taking a deep breath. "I am." It was nothing more than a whisper, but voicing it out loud made it real. "I see now, that it's something I should have done a long time ago. I should have had the strength back when you were younger to leave him. To take you away from him. But I didn't. I was afraid and I didn't. I see the mistakes that I made."
"You see everything clearer in hindsight." I whispered and she nodded.
There was a small knock on the door before it opened to reveal Bella standing there. She smiled when she saw the two of us as we were. I think that she was glad that Esme was here. Finally realising that I was more important than Carlisle was.
"Hey." She said softly, making her way over to us. "I hate to tell you this, but Demetri's been calling. He's wondering where you are."
"Shit." I mumbled quietly, slowly sitting up.
"What is it?" Esme sat up, placing a hand on my shoulder, worryingly.
"My manager's been calling." I mumbled, running my hand through my hair and down my face slowly. "What time is it?"
"It's ten in the morning." Bella answered, glancing at her watch.
"Right." I nodded slowly. "That means I have six hours to get to Seattle." I looked at Esme and saw her eyes sadden a little. It seemed as though she really didn't want me to leave. I looked at Bella and she gave me a small nod and a knowing smile, before getting to her feet, quite awkwardly I might add, leaning over and giving me a kiss on the head, before leaving the room. "Um, did you want to come with us?"
"What?" Esme's eyes lit up, glistening with unshed tears as she studied my face. "You mean, to Seattle?" I nodded slowly, part of me hoping that she would say yes, the other unsure of what her reaction would be. "Really?" I nodded again, smiling slightly as she grinned nodding enthusiastically. "I'd love to come with you, Edward." I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. All of this seemed like a dream and I was afraid that it would end soon. I didn't want that to happen. I finally had my mom, and I didn't want to let her go. "I don't have anything to change into though."
"You can get Tanya to buy you some new stuff in Seattle." I shrugged and she smiled. "You can go nuts, won't make a difference to me."
"I guess not." She smiled a sense of pride in her words. "What with the success you've had over the years." Wait, what? She knew about the band? "I've been following Linkin Park since the beginning, Edward. I have every one of your CDs, albums. I have all of it."
"Does Carlisle know?" I asked, and she frowned, shaking her head. "I didn't think so."
"He would have destroyed it all, had he known." She whispered, wrapping her arms around me again. Something that should have felt foreign to me, seeing as I'd not really experienced this from her before, didn't. It felt right, natural and I didn't want to let her go. "I couldn't let him to that. The music that I listened to, that you created, was the only connection that I had to you after you left."
I held her close to me, feeling her tears slowly soaking through my shirt as they fell from her eyes. "I've never hated myself more than when you left. I hated myself and Carlisle and I let him know that much."
"You did?" I asked, surprised that she would stand up to him that way.
"Yes." She nodded against my chest, being so small, her head rested right above my heart. "I've never stood up to him like that before. He knew it was his fault that you left, I knew it was his fault, but I didn't know why. I still don't. All I know is it had something to do with him and Bella. I don't know what happened, and I don't want to know. It's between you and Bella. But I knew that it was because of him and something he'd done that you left. And I've never forgiven him for that. I've missed out on a whole lifetime with you and I don't want to let anymore time go to waste."
I pressed my lips to the top of her head, just thankful that she was here and that she had found the strength to push away from Carlisle. "Thank you." I whispered and she looked up at me, confused.
"What for?" She asked, looking and sounding confused at my words.
"Just being here now." I rested my cheek on her head and she sighed gently. "It's like, you knew that I needed you and you came."
"I just wish that I'd listened to that side of me earlier." She whispered, squeezing me again.
"You can't change the past." She nodded, tears still trickling down her face.
"I know." She whispered. "But I'm going to spend the rest of my life making it up to you, whether you want me to or not." She looked up at me with a fierce determination that reminded me of Bella. "And I'm going to be the best damn grandmother to those babies as I possibly can. If you'll let me."
"Of course I will." No matter how much I had hurt over my childhood, I wouldn't deprive my children of spending time with their grandmother, because I could see all of the regret in her eyes, hear all of the longing and hope in her voice and I hoped that this was a new start for the both of us. Me with my mother and her free of the influence of Carlisle.
"Come on." I whispered, taking her hand in my own and leading her out of the room.
I smiled at Bella and Tanya as we made our way downstairs. They both smiled at us, clearly happy that we were going to try and work on our relationship. In truth, I wanted nothing more than what was standing in this room with me right now.
I had Tanya. The one that had been there with me, suffering at our low points and celebrating with me on the highs – metaphorically speaking that is, considering we were both in rehab at the time. She was the one that had helped me get through the most traumatic time of my life, with help from Emmett and Jasper, but essentially, she had been the one to pull me through. She had everything I wanted now. Loving husband, even though he was away on business at the moment. Felix adored her and I knew that she was happy with him. She had Kate, my beautiful niece, whom she loved more than anything in the world. And she had faith in me that I could do anything I wanted to. Even build up a relationship with those I had thought I'd lost.
I had Bella. Even though the two of us still had a lot of things to work through with regards to 'us', both of us knew that as soon as those babies were born, anything that was keeping us apart for the moment, wouldn't matter anymore. We would put everything aside for the sake of our children. She was giving me everything I could ever want. A family of my own. I had wanted nothing else since I was eighteen and I was finally getting it. Thanks to Bella, the woman I had wanted it all with in the first place. We would work on 'us' later on.
And I had my mom. Finally I had her back in my life. But this time, I had her in my life properly. I hoped that we would be able to work on our relationship and that we would be able to be honest with each other as we should have been my entire life. It's never too late to work on a relationship like that, is it? I hoped not anyway. We would work on our relationship. I did worry about what would happen between her and Carlisle. Was she serious about leaving his sorry ass? Or would she feel the same fear she had admitted to feeling while I was growing up and go back to him. The determination in her eyes made me believe that she was in this one hundred per cent, but I knew Carlisle and I didn't want her alone with him.
I had the three women that I needed in my life. I didn't need anything else for the moment. Other than to hurry my ass up and get into Seattle or Demetri was going to castrate me.
We made our way down to the car that was waiting for us in the driveway. Esme looked at us, confused as we walked towards it.
"Saves driving." I explained and she nodded slowly, seeming to understand.
"I just don't like the idea of leaving my car here, that's all." She sighed, looking over at the dark blue Mercedes.
"Hang on." Tanya grinned, giving Kate to Bella. "Gimme the keys." Esme handed Tanya her keys, looking slightly bemused. I shrugged, as did Bella, indicating that neither of us had any clue what was going on in her mind. She quickly climbed into the car, started it and carefully drove it around the side of the house, parking it underneath the tree I used to use to climb into Bella's window. Not that I was going to made that public knowledge. I looked over at Bella and she smiled, turning a pale pink colour and looking down at the ground. "There we are." Tanya smiled as she handed Esme her keys back and took Kate in her arms. "Now no one can see it from the road."
"But what about the tyre tracks?" Bella asked, indicating the indents in the driveway that led around to where the car was now hidden.
"It'll be fine. When Renee and Charlie get back, the tracks will be hidden. Simple." She grinned and I couldn't help but grin back at her. We all knew why Esme didn't want to leave the car here. It was a dead giveaway should Carlisle come looking for her and it was clear to all of us, even though the girls hadn't heard Esme's admission of leaving Carlisle, that Esme didn't want to be associated with him at the moment.
We all climbed into the car, Esme casting an appreciative look around before smirking at me. I shrugged, feeling a slight heat rising in my cheeks and she giggled at me. I loved how easy it seemed at the moment. I knew that this wouldn't last, and we would have to get down to all the emotional crap that was still between us, but for today we weren't going to linger on that. We were going to enjoy the fact that we were together.
Bella sat on one side of me and Esme sat on the other. Tanya sat opposite to us, facing backwards, giving us all a wide grin. She winked at me, knowing that this was all I wanted in life. She knew that the fame and money that I had now meant very little to me. I would give it all up if I had the chance at having Bella and my mother back in my life permanently.
The ride to Seattle passed quickly. We spent most of it in silence, broken only by the three of them discussing what would be happening when the babies arrived. Bella thought that it would be best to head back to New York, seeing as that's where she worked and we both had apartments there. We both had roots there and neither of us wanted to dig them up. Especially when what resided in Forks was nothing but pain and hurt. We would raise the babies in New York, obviously visiting Charlie and Renee whenever we could. Esme still hadn't decided what she was going to do in the long run. She knew that she was definitely leaving Carlisle. She couldn't stand to be under his influence anymore. She said that he wasn't the man she fell in love with and that he had changed a great deal. I knew why he had changed. It was because of me.
She had surmised that she would probably go to her parents who lived in Boston, Massachusetts, which worked out well for what she said she needed right now. She told me that she needed to spend time with me, she hated herself for not being there with me and for me when I was growing up. And she needed to get to know her grandchildren. Bella and I silently agreed that we would allow her to be a part of their lives. They would need their grandmother there for them when Bella and I could not be there. I knew that Esme had a lot of love to give, but hadn't been allowed, really, to show it when I was a child. We still had a lot to work on, but I hoped it would come together.
When we arrived in Seattle, the girls went shopping, taking Esme to find some new clothes to wear while I headed off to the stadium to meet with Emmett, Jazz, Demetri and the rest of the guys.
"Hey, Edward!" An enormous voice boomed as an arm that obviously matched it wrapped it's way around my neck, grasping me in a headlock. "Where you been, buddy? You disappeared without a word. What happened?"
"Let me go and I'll tell you." I elbowed him in the ribs and he let me go.
"What happened?" Jasper asked, shoving Emmett out of the way looking me over.
"Not here." I motioned for them to follow me into a small room in the back of the stadium where I quickly told them everything that had happened from the time I left them after the concert to when I returned to Seattle. They didn't interrupt my story, knowing that if they did, I would clam up and they would never find out.
"What the fuck?" Emmett hissed, clearly pissed. Jasper had a look I couldn't place on his face. One that looked like a cross between anger, aggravation, sadness, a small amount of pity and the need to kill something. "Where the fuck does that guy get off?!"
"I know." I sighed, running my hand through my hair. "But there's nothing we can do about it now."
"He's right, Emmett." Jasper said softly, turning to face our enormous friend. "Calm down." He turned to look back at me. "Did you say that your mom is leaving him?" I nodded and he sighed again. "Well at least a little good has come out of this trip."
"A little good?" Emmett asked, his jaw going slack like someone had just injected him with a sedative. If he hadn't been so hostile in that moment, it would have been funny. "What the hell Jazz? What is that supposed to mean? What good?"
"Well, Edward's mom was clearly frightened of his da-" He stopped as I scowled at him. "Sorry. Frightened of Carlisle. I don't think she really thought that she had a choice of whether or not she could stand up to him. In essence, he was abusing her. Not physically. I don't want to think that of anyone, but he whittled her confidence down and wore her down so much that she couldn't fight him anymore. It's still a form of abuse, even if there's no violence involved. And the worst thing about it is that the person being worn down doesn't even realise it's happening. They're made to feel worthless without the other person in their lives."
"It sounds about right." I nodded, shaking my head slightly, not really wanting to get into this moments before a live show. Though the anger would help my performance, the thoughts of him treating my mother in that way made me sick and would no doubt distract me. My newfound understanding with Esme may be tenuous and fragile, but it was there and I didn't want to do anything but strengthen it.
"Come on, we're on." Jasper whacked me on the arm before grabbing Emmett and dragging him towards the stage. I couldn't help but laugh at my two best friends as I followed them to the edge of the stage.
Maybe some good could come out of this whole shitty mess. That was the last thought I gave the situation as I made my way onto the stage, effectively starting the last concert of our tour.
Bella
I was so happy that Edward and Esme were trying to repair their broken relationship. Tanya had told me what had happened when she had asked Esme about Edward after surprising them with the show so I knew that Esme wasn't really the one that had abandoned Edward. It had been Carlisle.
I instantly knew, when Esme turned up in my driveway shortly after our confrontation with Carlisle that she had made her choice between the two of them. Whether or not she knew it, I wasn't sure, but it was clear to Tanya and I,
She had chosen Edward.
Demetri had been phoning all morning and the excuse of 'it's a personal matter' were not cutting it anymore. I hated interrupting the two of them, but it had to be done if Edward was going to make the concert on time.
I couldn't help the smile as I opened the door to find the both of them with their arms around each other. Making up for lost time as it were.
I was right when I told Esme that Edward needed her. She needed him as well. That much was clear.
We had taken Esme shopping, seeing as she hadn't come over to my house with anything she could wear, and Tanya and I decided to take her on a little spree. Only a little one, because I couldn't handle much more than that. We found Esme something to wear for the concert tonight and for the next few days.
She had told us about her plans to leave Carlisle. That she had had enough of him and was going to move back to her parents in Boston. I told her that it was probably the right thing for her to do, especially seeing as Carlisle had been, in essence, controlling her for their entire relationship. It wasn't easy to see back then, but now, when she spoke of certain things, it was clear to all of us. I hated Carlisle. I hated him for what he had done. I'd like to trap him in a steel cage and let Emmett loose on him. That would sure show him.
We met up with Alice and Rosalie, who were out doing some pre-concert shopping as well. They were both eager to meet Edward's mom and gushed over Kate, seeming to welcome Tanya into the group as well. In the end we were just five girls enjoying Seattle.
When the time came for us to head to the concert, I could tell that Esme was a little nervous.
"Don't worry about it, Esme." I grasped her hand as we made our way backstage. "There's nothing to worry about. If Edward didn't want you here then he wouldn't have asked you. He wants you here. Simple as."
"I hope you're right." She sighed gently, smiling at me. "Where is he?"
I looked around, seeing Demetri looking completely haggard, as he normally did five minutes before the show started. "He's about to go on. Look over there and you'll be able to see him."
She looked in the direction and smiled when she saw Edward waiting at the edge of the stage. From where we were, we had a full view of the side of the stage, the front and the large screen behind it. We would be able to see everything from where we were.
"So, how's it feel to be at your first concert, Esme?" Tanya asked, holding an excited looking Kate close to her. She was trying to escape. Probably to get to her uncle, so Tanya had to keep a strong hold on her. I had a feeling that babies and members of the public weren't really allowed back here, but seeing as we were friends of Edward, Emmett and Jasper's they let it slide. Demetri gave all of us a quick, but very stressed wave before darting off to take care of something else. We all had to giggle at him, he looked so run off his feet. "He looks like he could use someone to relax him."
"You have no idea." Alice and Rose chorused, giggling. I couldn't help but grin alongside them, it transforming into a dreamy smile as I watched Edward as the band started up. I didn't recognise the song they were playing, but it was catchy and showed off their excellent musicians skills. Edward had the crowd in the palm of his hand as per usual.
"Incredible, isn't he?" I asked Esme and she nodded, smiling at me briefly before turning back to watch Edward as he enraptured the crowd even further.
"Well, he is a talented boy, isn't he?" An unfamiliar voice behind us commented and I turned to see a black haired man I knew standing behind us. Esme froze beside me, gripping my hand as though it were her only life support. "You must be very proud of him, Esme."
"Esme?" The others chorused, looking carefully at her as she sat there, unmoving, her eyes clenched shut against the man behind us.
She stood up slowly, and the rest of us stood up with her, turning to face the stranger who stood there with two teenagers behind him, one staring out at Edward, a dreamy expression on her face and the other standing there looking extremely bored, like he didn't want to be there in the first place.
"What do you want?" She asked, her voice low and shaky. I knew instantly who this man was, as did Tanya. Alice and Rosalie, thankfully, were in the dark, but the two of us edged closer to Esme, flanking her if needs be.
"I'm here to enjoy the show." He gestured out towards the stage where any hint of the confrontation was going unnoticed.
"Why?" She asked him, her voice slightly stronger than before, still clutching at my hand and Tanya's too. Kate had quietened down now, making it easier for Tanya to concentrate on what was happening in front of her.
He didn't answer her, but his eyes moved over to me, settling on my stomach, a smug smirk appearing on his features. "Alec, Jane." The two teenagers looked up at him. "Go and see if you can find something to drink." The two exchanged a glance knowing that words they were not supposed to hear were to be exchanged. They left without complaint though, seeming to appease the man in front of us. "Well, it appears that I'm to be a grandfather soon."
"What makes you think that?" I shot back, more confident than Esme was and she looked at me, startled.
"Well, they are my son's children, aren't they?" He nodded towards where Edward was currently performing, knowing damned well they were his.
"Doesn't mean that you're going to be in their lives." I retorted standing straight. Or as straight as I could. This man would not intimidate me. "Just because you served as a sperm donor does not mean that you have any right as a father or a grandfather. Now leave."
He looked at me and smiled. "I like your spirit. No wonder Edward chose someone like you. Think you can keep me away from my grandchildren, do you?"
"Yes, Aro. I do."
Uh-oh. The drama-llama's back in town.
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