Carlisle, Jasper and Alice said their farewells to the Denali clan with the promise that the next time they came to visit they would bring the entire family with them. They ran as fast as they could and mostly in silence. Alice had told Carlisle about her vision and concern for the others and not knowing what the time frame for their impending move would be, or if there was anything that could be done to alter the path that they seemed to currently be on. Carlisle knew that it would have to be something significant if they would be leaving before Esme could see her flower garden bloom. Gardening seemed to give her some sort of connection to the one thing they themselves were no longer a part of – a cycle of change, of life. Sometimes he thought his wife looked upon her flower gardens as a child of sorts, something that she could raise from a seed, feed and water it, watch it grow into something beautiful. He would be lying if he were to say the thought of having a biological child with Esme never crossed his mind, as much as he knew it was impossible, he still pondered what their child would look like, what their personality would be, what grandchildren may have been possible further into the future. It was the one secret he had made Edward swear to, the one thought that he wished to keep hidden away from every member of his clan, including Esme. He didn't want this thought to bring her remorse or pain or regret, he loved her too much to inflict such things upon her.

As they continued to run in silence he allowed himself to expand on his thought of what it would be like to have a young child or infant in the family… he wondered if it would ease the resentment that Rosalie wrapped herself up in every day of this existence. Carlisle had even thought about sharing this thought with Rosalie in an attempt to help her overcome her deep seeded resentment but Edward had convinced him that it would most likely do far more harm than good. He looked at Alice and Jasper and while he considered them to be a young love he understood the power of having found ones mate. He watched them run and giggle and tease one another with a smile and then he wondered what their children would look like if it were possible. That was when Carlisle stopped short and froze in his tracks – he wasn't one to ponder thoughts such as these at length, something else was gnawing at him. As soon as Alice and Jasper realized that he had stopped running they returned to him in an instant.

"Carlisle, what's wrong?" Jasper asked picking up on the shift in Carlisle's mood.

"I'm not sure Jasper. Alice, do you think you could try focusing on one of my patients if I told you about her?"

"I don't know Carlisle. I've never tried to get a vision on a complete stranger before, much less focus on a human."

"Could you try, I think it could be very important. And, if it's not too much to ask, could you do it while we run? If my instincts are right, I believe we need to hurry home as fast as possible."

"Well then, let's talk as we run then. Jasper, you won't let me run into any trees will you?"

"Of course not darling, I'll never let any harm come to you."

"Tell me about your patient Carlisle and I'll see what I can come up with."

"Alice, I may be over-reacting, but it's Clarisse Swann, the pregnant woman. She's had multiple pregnancies and lost them all, and this is the farthest she has ever made it into a pregnancy but I just have this strange feeling I can't explain and I'm worried about her. Physically I believe her to be perfectly fine, but I can't get inside of her head. I've done everything I can to try to reassure both her and her husband that this will be a successful pregnancy, but now I'm not so sure I haven't missed something that they may not even know themselves. In short, I am asking you try to see if the baby delivers safely, that I haven't missed some sort of phantom. I'm asking you to look for something that may not even exist."

"I'll try Carlisle, but I haven't exactly mastered my gift as you know, much less try to search for something that may not exist for someone I have never met. Just give me a little time..." Alice smiled at Carlisle as she moved closer to Jasper so he could help guide her as they ran in case she went into one of her trances.


A/N - Sorry for taking so long to update, but my Dad got diagnosed with cancer last month and needless to say had to head out of state to go visit with him. For those of you who have added this to your favorites, reviewed or are following this story, I would like to say thank you. I have one more transitional chapters to put together before there's a bit of excitement - and that's all I'm going to hint at.