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Carlisle contacted Aro and was told he was more than welcome to come to Italy. He immediately booked his flights, not wanting to leave it too long and risk Aro coming to him. The day before he left he went hunting with Esme and they didn't return to the house until a few hours before he was due to fly out.
The rest of the family were at the house waiting for a chance to say goodbye to Carlisle and they all sat in the living room waiting while Carlisle and Esme disappeared into their room to finish Carlisle's packing. When Carlisle walked out with a suitcase and carry on bag he set them by the door and then walked into the living room with Esme.
"Okay, I'm off to the airport now," he announced needlessly. "Please all of you, take care of your mother."
"You know we will," Edward smiled.
"Yes I do," Carlisle nodded and moved around the room, hugging each of them and saying goodbye until he reached Esme. She smiled and tucked her arm in his and the others waited in the living room while she walked Carlisle to the garage so they could have a more private goodbye.
XXX
Two days after Carlisle had left Emmett and Jasper were sitting playing chess as Edward, Rosalie and Alice watched on when Esme walked into the room.
"Esme, do you want to join us?" Edward asked when he saw her.
"No, I'm going into town to pick up a few things," Esme smiled at them. "I want to renovate our room while Carlisle is away."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Jasper offered instantly.
"No stay and enjoy your game," Esme assured him. "I'll be fine."
"Do you want to borrow my car?" Edward offered, knowing Carlisle's was still sitting in the long term car park at the airport.
"I thought I'd run," Esme told him. "I might hunt on the way in. If I buy too much though is it okay if I call you to get a lift home?"
"Of course," Edward grinned.
"Okay, I'll speak to you soon," Esme smiled and walked past and dropped a kiss on the top of Edward's head before she left the house.
XXX
A few hours later Emmett and Jasper were arguing playfully over who was the better wrestler, the chess game long forgotten, as Edward sat mindlessly playing the piano and Alice and Rosalie were looking through a fashion magazine, trying to ignore their bickering men.
"Oh no!" Edward suddenly gasped and stopped playing instantly and jumped to his feet, already running towards the front door.
"What is it?" Emmett frowned.
"Esme," Alice gasped seeing what had Edward so alarmed.
"She slipped," Edward added as he ran out the front door.
"What?" Rosalie yelled in disbelief and the other four all jumped up and followed Edward.
They all raced into the forest, their instincts focusing in on Esme and they began to run towards her. When they got nearer they saw Esme running blindly through the trees, huge dry sobs wracking her body and she didn't seem to sense their approach.
"Esme!" Edward called quickly.
"Edward!" Esme sobbed and raced towards him and he grabbed their mother into his arms and hugged her tightly. "I, I didn't, I couldn't…"
"Shh, Esme, its okay, I can see it," Edward soothed her softly as he held her tight.
"What happened?" Alice murmured as the others reached them.
"She was coming home when she came across a car accident," Edward explained, looking straight into Esme's mind. "A young family. The parents and the baby were dead but there was a little girl still alive. She was bleeding badly and the scent became too much for Esme."
"Oh Esme," Rosalie gasped, knowing how upset their mother would be that she had harmed a little girl.
"We should go make sure it's covered up properly," Emmett said firmly.
"I'll help you," Jasper offered.
"Jazz, the blood," Alice murmured.
"It doesn't bother me," Jasper assured her. "We need to make sure Esme is safe."
"I'll come too," Edward decided and carefully transferred Esme from his arms to Rosalie's. "The girls can take Esme home."
"Should we start making plans to move?" Alice frowned.
"I don't know," Edward sighed and glanced at Emmett.
"Why don't we go clean this up and then we'll talk about it?" Emmett suggested.
"We'll see you at home then," Rosalie nodded and carefully guided Esme away with Alice's help and together the two girls managed to get their distraught mother home.
XXX
When the men returned to the house Esme was sitting between Rosalie and Alice still visibly upset.
"How did you go?" Rosalie asked softly.
"All taken care of," Emmett nodded. "But someone saw it before we got there, the police arrived just as we finished."
"They didn't see us," Edward added, seeing the alarm growing in Esme's mind. "We were just leaving the area when we saw them arrive."
"I think we do need to move though," Emmett added.
"I agree," Jasper added.
"Where to?" Rosalie frowned. "Esme normally handles that and Carlisle isn't here." At the mere mention of Carlisle's name Esme started to dry sob again, desperate to be in her mate's arms.
"Oh Esme, we'll call him as soon as we're safe," Edward sighed. "You'll be okay, we'll all take care of you until he returns."
"I could try and organise something for us," Alice offered and they all agreed, knowing she was the more adept with using the computer and internet Carlisle had installed in his study. Alice got up and moved off towards the study but when she walked past Jasper and Emmett she stopped and leaned towards Jasper.
"Esme needs you," she whispered in a low voice.
"We'll all stay right here little one," Emmett promised.
"No, Jazz," Alice explained quickly. "I've seen she needs Jazz to get through this."
"My gift?" Jasper questioned.
"Partly," Alice nodded. "We'll talk about the why later but she needs you now." Jasper nodded his head and Alice quickly raced off to the study to organise a new home for them and once she was gone Jasper walked over and sat where Alice had been sitting beside Esme. Rosalie was still on the other side of her holding her hand when Esme suddenly looked up with sad, confused eyes and her gaze landed right on Jasper.
"Jasper, my son," she started and then began to sob again.
"It's okay Esme," Jasper said softly. "Everything will be okay." He reached for her and she collapsed into his arms, clinging to him tightly. He hugged her close and began to send her waves of calm and serenity and the others watched in amazement as she seemed to relax right into his arms.
XXX
Alice was clicking the mouse madly when the study door opened and Emmett slipped into the room.
"How goes the house hunting?" he asked as he walked over to join her at the desk.
"It's a lot harder than Esme makes it look," Alice sighed. "I don't even know how she managed it before computers were invented."
"Have you got anything?" Emmett asked.
"Not yet," Alice murmured. "I don't even know what area to start with."
"Make sure it's as north as possible," Emmett suggested. "Maybe even Canada or Alaska. Why don't you Google Canada and then just look for somewhere that sounds nice? You need to hurry though Alice, we have to get Esme out of here."
"I'll do my best," Alice nodded.
"I know you will little one," Emmett nodded. "Let me know when you have something."
"I will," Alice promised and turned her attention back to the computer screen.
XXX
Edward, Rosalie and Emmett headed upstairs to pack for everyone and left Esme with Jasper and she seemed perfectly calm and content in Jasper's arms. They began to load all the luggage into the two cars and once they were finished Edward and Emmett left in Edward's car to retrieve Carlisle's car from the airport. While they were gone Rosalie finished up the packing and when the guys returned the rest of the bags were stacked neatly in the garage.
They loaded them into Carlisle's car and then headed back inside to the others. Esme was still sitting with Jasper and Rosalie and when Edward and Emmett walked into the room she looked up at them sadly.
"Is everything organised?" she asked softly.
"Just waiting for Alice," Emmett nodded.
"I'm here," Alice announced as she walked into the room.
"Did you find somewhere?" Emmett asked.
"Yeah, I followed your advice and looked for somewhere that sounded nice," Alice grinned and Edward started to laugh when he saw her choice in her head.
"Well, where are we going then?" Rosalie asked.
"Jasper in Alberta," Alice smirked.
"Oh little one," Emmett laughed. "You couldn't even get Jasper out of your head long enough for you to find a town for us to live in?"
"It sounds nice," Alice pouted. "It has a national park surrounding it and snow and all sorts of native wildlife. They had a house nestled in the edge of the national park just outside the town that sounded perfect for us."
"It sounds lovely sweetheart," Jasper smiled at her.
"It does Alice," Esme nodded softly.
"Then I guess we should get going," Emmett smirked and couldn't risk another sly dig at Alice. "To Jasper it is!"
Jasper helped Esme up from the couch and kept a protective arm around her shoulders and the group walked out of the house that had been home for over two years and climbed into the cars and headed north again.
XXX
The house Alice organised in Jasper, Alberta, was absolutely perfect for them and they quickly settled in and unpacked. Edward called Carlisle and told him what had happened and Carlisle said he would get the next available flight home. He was desperate to be by his mate's side and Edward knew it would only be a day or two until his return.
While they waited for Carlisle all the children banded around Esme, and although she was grieving for the child she had killed and the shame and grief threatened to overwhelm her she couldn't help feeling proud of her own 'children'. They all stayed by her side and guarded her protectively and they even seemed to stem their bickering in an effort to keep her spirits lifted.
Two days after they had arrived in Jasper, Emmett got a phone call from Carlisle asking him to pick him up at the airport. Emmett and Rosalie drove in to get Carlisle and on the return trip they filled him in on exactly what Esme had done, how the family had taken care of it and how depressed Esme was. When they reached the house Carlisle barely noticed how lovely the house and surrounding area were as he rushed inside.
"Esme!" he called out urgently as soon as he stepped in the door.
"Carlisle!" Esme gasped and for the first time in days she pulled herself from Jasper's arms and raced to Carlisle. "Oh Carlisle, I killed a little girl."
"Its okay sweetheart," Carlisle whispered as he pulled her into his arms and held her close. When Esme had composed herself a little she pulled back so she could look up at him and she offered him a sad smile.
"There is one good thing," she murmured.
"What's that sweetheart?" Carlisle asked lovingly.
"The children all looked after me very well," Esme told him. "They did us proud."
"I wouldn't have expected anything else," Carlisle smiled and pulled her back into his arms as he glanced over Edward, Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie all standing watching them. "Thank you, all of you, for taking care of her."
"She's our mother," Alice grinned. "She always takes care of us, it was our turn to give back." Carlisle gave them all another warm smile and Jasper could feel his pride flowing from him as he turned and wordlessly led Esme out of the room and up to their new bedroom.
