Chapter 29

Esme straightened up around the house and took a look out the front window toward the porch where she had previously been sitting with Alice. Carlisle was still playing with Marshall in the leaves, and Emmett had joined in on the fun. The two of them were alternating making him laugh, even tossing him back and forth until his giggles could be heard for a mile.

She smiled to herself and walked out into the yard, beneath the cover of the trees where sun was only mildly peeking through.

Carlisle spotted her coming from a distance and gave her a little wink. He then glanced to the side as Emmett spun Marshall around a few times before tossing him into a big pile of leaves that was, perhaps, the only pile that had been left untouched until that moment.

"You look like you're all having fun," Esme said to them with another wide smile.

Carlisle approached her with a kiss on the cheek, and put his arm around her.

"Mama, watch!" Marshall said, giggling as he did so and then turned his attention to Emmett, "Again."

Emmett repeated his previous action, twirling Marshall around in the air several times before tossing him five yards as if it was nothing. His tiny body crashed into the pile of leaves, and a moment later he reappeared with leaves dangling from his sweatshirt and jeans.

Carlisle and Esme shared a laugh and Marshall ran toward his mother. She scooped him up and hugged him close to her body and then gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"Look at our little Mama's boy," Emmett teased.

Carlisle snickered and gave Esme a wink and smile, before he slowly separated himself from her and walked toward the lake with his hands in his pockets.

Emmett didn't appear to be at all concerned, though Esme could see in Carlisle's posture that something was on his mind. She was hoping they could stay out in the yard with Marshall and Emmett and have some laughs. Now, she was wondering what was bothering her husband.

The leaves that had once been in piles were scattered about the yard, and Emmett began to put them back together again. Marshall watched intently with a grin on his face and then turned to face Esme.

"Mom, throw me," he demanded in the most adorable of ways.

She smiled wide at her youngest son and prepared to do as he asked.

"Ready?" Emmett asked.

"Ready, set, go," Marshall said quickly.

Esme released him into the air and began to laugh lightly, not knowing exactly where he'd heard the phrase 'ready, set, go'.

Marshall laughed wildly as he crashed into the leaf pile again, this time he stayed there, centered in the mixtures of yellows and reds.

Emmett darted over and began to tickle him, sending Marshall into a giggle fit.

"Stop," he begged, in between breaths.

"Stop what?" Emmett teased.

"That," he laughed the word aloud and Emmett finally let him go.

Esme squatted down next to them and brushed a few leaves out of Marshall's hair. He sighed, still recovering from the tickling and sat lazily with no intention of getting up.

"Do you want to watch your Charlie Brown movie again?" Esme asked him.

Marshall's facial expression twisted as he thought, and then nodded.

She held her hands out for him, "Come on."

He grinned, and peeked at Emmett out of the corner of his eye, who made one quick move toward him as if he was going to tickle him again.

Marshall laughed loudly and positioned himself on Esme's opposite side before latching his hand onto hers.

She looked at Emmett with a genuine grin and headed toward the porch. He rushed ahead and held the door for them, before following in behind them.

Rosalie, Alice and Jasper were all gathered in the living room, and Alice flicked on a light to give the room a little more illumination. She then pointed toward the television.

"We overheard you guys, so we have the movie all set to play."

Marshall smirked and looked at the television, and then to Esme. He then ran toward the couch and dove onto it next to Rosalie and put his head on her lap, stretching himself out over one of the three cushions that made it up.

She looked up at Esme with raised eyebrows and smiled, taken off guard by Marshall's clinginess to her. She snickered and ran a hand through his hair, prompting a grin from Emmett.

Esme put a hand over her heart and smiled again, appreciating the closeness that existed between their extraordinarily large family. She had never seen Marshall nuzzle up to Rosalie in the way he did, but it was apparent that he felt more than comfortable around her to do it.

Rosalie, on the same token, happily welcomed his affection and slunk into the couch to enjoy the movie.

"I'll be right back," Esme said lowly, holding up a finger. "I just want to go see what's wrong with Carlisle."

"What's wrong with Carlisle?" Jasper asked.

"She's going to find out, dummy," Emmett teased, causing Jasper to nearly jump from his seat with a chuckle.

"Boys..." Alice said, looking back and forth between the two of them, "We can't set a bad example for Marshall, now, can we?" She turned to Esme, "I got the motherly role covered for a few, but hurry back. These two are a little too big for me to restrain for too long."

Esme laughed and nodded, and then wandered out toward the lake where Carlisle had gone to be alone with his thoughts. When she didn't immediately see him where he had been on the dock, she felt a small wave of anxiety pass through her, but quickly managed to locate him a little ways down along the edge of the lake.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey." Carlisle smiled and approached her, immediately kissing her on the lips one time.

"Everything okay?"

He nodded, and then shrugged when he acknowledged that she could see right through him.

"Tell me," Esme prompted him to talk out whatever was bothering him.

"I've just been thinking about Amun, and his family."

She nodded, "I have, too."

"I want to know that they're alright. I can't help but feel guilty for the danger they're in."

"Guilty?" Esme asked him.

Carlisle nodded, "Benjamin acted against them in retaliation for my "death"."

She sighed and looked at him, "That wasn't your doing."

"They wouldn't have been involved if it weren't for that."

"Benjamin acted on his own," Esme explained, "We would never ask him to do that. It's honorable in its own right, but it put the four of them in danger."

"Because of the lie I told."

"To preserve the lives of our family members," She reminded him.

Carlisle was about to respond, but he stopped, not knowing quite what to say.

"I understand your feelings," Esme told him, "But know that it's not your fault. I'm worried about them, too."

"I just wish there was a way we could know they were alright without having contact with them. The Volturi will come back to us eventually to see if we've spoken to them."

"You think so?"

Carlisle nodded, "As long as we don't have any information on their whereabouts, we'll be okay."

Esme thought for a moment, noting the certainty in his voice. "Did Alice tell you this?"

He nodded again, "We got to talking the other day."

She looked him in the eye and then kissed him once as he had done to her, "It's not your fault, Carlisle."

"I feel terrible that they got involved."

"Me, too," Esme agreed, "But Benjamin acted on his own. Can't Alice see if they're alright?"

Carlisle shook his head, "No, because of Aro's son... or sons."

"Who will they send to speak with us?"

"Just Aro."

Esme gave him a look.

Carlisle tucked her body against his and held her close.

"We'll have to try to find a way," she told him.

He nodded but didn't say anything.

"Do you want me to go back inside so you can have your space to think?"

Carlisle pulled her closer, and Esme could tell he was shaking his head no. "Stay," he said lightly.

"Okay." She tightened her grip on the back of his shirt, "I love you."

"I love you, too, Esme."