Chapter 25: Anywhere

Esme was sitting on the floor with a smile as she held Lila up by her arms. "Ready to try to walk to daddy munchkin?" She asked. Lila whimpered softly, as she held onto her mother's hands. "Carlisle, she's going to try again," she called to her fiancé.

"Yeah? Think she's ready to try again?" He asked.

"Yep," she replied beaming.

Carlisle smiled as he sat down on the floor. "Okay…" she murmured. She gently helped her along and let her hands go. The baby took only half a step before she started to fall again. "Whoops, whoops, mama's got you," Esme assured her, holding her by her small waist. Carlisle chuckled.

"I think that's enough trying for today," he told her.

Esme smiled as she put the baby into her playpen. Carlisle kissed Esme's neck with a smile, holding her close. "In one week, you will be Mrs. Carlisle Cullen," he murmured.

"I can't wait," she whispered.

Carlisle kissed the back of her neck again. "I can't wait to be married to you, I've waited so long to marry you," he answered.

"Well it won't be much longer…doctor…" she teased lightly.

Carlisle smiled as he grabbed his fiancé by the hand and pulled her close. She smiled and wrapped her arm around his back. Esme laughed softly as the two of them started swaying to no music. "Since when do you start to randomly dance?" She quipped lightly.

"Mmm since I've been with you," he answered.

Esme rolled her eyes slightly. "I think Emmett spends way too much time in this house, it's making you too mushy," she laughed. Carlisle chuckled and kissed her gently. She kissed him back with her hand resting on his face.

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Later on, Esme was putting Lila down for her nap when Rosalie walked in. "Hey mom," she greeted.

"Hey Rosie," she answered with a smile.

Rosalie looked into the crib at her sister with a smile. "Has she walked yet?" She asked.

"Not yet, but she's trying," Esme replied.

Rosalie held her sister's hand. "Mom…I want to talk to you about something," she informed.

"What's that?" Esme asked, cleaning up Lila's room.

The young woman was fidgeting nervously. "Mom…something happened…and I'm ashamed to say it…" she replied quietly. Esme heard the distress in her daughter's voice and looked over at her. "Emmett told me I should talk to you about it, but it happened such a long time ago I didn't think I should tell, but…" she trailed.

"What's wrong?" Esme asked.

Rosalie swallowed hard. "Remember when I came home late a few years ago? I mean really late?" She asked.

"Yeah," Esme replied.

Tears were showing in the girl's eyes. "Remember Royce?" She asked. That was all Rosalie could get out before she broke into tears. Esme hugged her daughter tight, knowing the rest.

"Oh sweetheart," she whispered.

Rosalie cried against her mother's shoulder. "He…he said I had asked for it," she sobbed. Esme pulled back, her hands on her daughter's face.

"Did you tell him no?" She asked.

The young woman nodded her head slowly. "Did you keep saying no?" Esme asked. Rosalie nodded again. "Sweetheart you didn't deserve what was done to you, but I wish you told me," she murmured.

"You were so wrapped up in what Charles was doing and everything I didn't want to add another problem to the mess," Rosalie answered.

Esme wiped the tears from her daughter's face. "You are my daughter, Rosalie, your safety means everything to me," she murmured. Rosalie swallowed hard and she let out a small sob. The young mother hugged her daughter, kissing the side of her head. "This wasn't your fault," she whispered, rubbing her back. Rosalie sighed.

"I don't think Royce will be walking for awhile," she commented.

"Why's that?" Esme asked.

Rosalie pulled away and sat down in the rocking chair. "Because I told Emmett a week after it happened and he beat him up," she replied. Esme smiled and Rosalie closed her eyes as she looked at her sister's crib.

"What made you come to me with this information?" Esme asked.

The teenager was quiet. "Emmett and I were starting to…" she trailed off.

"Oh I see," Esme murmured pulling a chair up.

Rosalie sighed. "Yeah well, nothing happened because I freaked out when his hand went up my shirt," she muttered. Esme patted her daughter's knee.

"One day, you'll be able to let go of that fear," Esme assured her.

The young woman nodded her head slowly, biting her lower lip.

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A few days went by and everything was calm again. Esme came downstairs with Lila sitting on her hip. "Mama," the one year old gurgled, gripping her mother's shirt. Esme smiled and kissed her daughter's forehead before setting her into her playpen. Just then, Carlisle walked into the house.

"Get yours and Lila's things," he told her.

"Why? What's going on?" She asked.

Carlisle started throwing some of Lila's things into a bag. "I sent Edward to stay with Charlie and Bella. The other kids are with my father who surprisingly wanted to help when I told him what was going on," he told her.

"Well could you please tell me what's going on?" Esme asked.

Carlisle stopped and looked at her. "Charles is here," he told her. Esme felt her blood run ice cold in her veins.

"What?" She asked.

"He's here, or he's coming. He tried snatching Rosalie but Emmett was there," he replied.

"Is she okay?" She asked.

"They're fine, they're both fine, but can you please just let me get you out of here?" He asked.

Esme let out a gasp when the power went out. "Where's Charlie?" She asked.

"He said he was going to gather as many officers as possible and get up here as soon as he can," Carlisle replied.

Lila started whimpering from the darkness. Esme walked over and lifted her daughter up into her arms. "We need to get out now," he told her. She let out a gasp when a window broke. "Take Lila and get out of here," he insisted.

"Carlisle," she started.

"Just go, take the baby and go I can handle things from here," he answered.

Esme bit her lower lip before she kissed him quickly and left with the baby. Carlisle looked around and heard the car speed out of the driveway. "Alright Charles, its just you and me now," Carlisle informed. The house was completely silent and Carlisle made his way up the stairs in the dark, whishing he had some sort of weapon to protect himself with. He made his way to Lila's room to see that it was the nursery window that had broken.

"So…you must be Carlisle Cullen, the woman stealer," a voice commented.

Carlisle turned around, looking at the dark figure in the corner. "And you must be Charles Evenson, the woman beater," he answered.