Okay! Here it is! Esme's POV! Please let me know if you want more from her: it was surprisingly fun to write. I gave Esme a Mercedes Guardian for a specific reason. It was cool to think that Esme and Carlisle's cars were made by the same company, and nothing on Google stated her actual car. Edward gives Bella a Mercedes Guardian in Eclipse and says that it's borrowed and will be returned when she's changed. The Guardian the most sturdy and safe Mercedes build, which is why Edward gave it to her. I'd imagine Edward giving Bella one of the Cullen's many extra cars... so Esme's stuck with this one.
This chapter is specially dedicated to Ryan Marshall. I can't wait to spend forever with you. 3
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I watched the speedometer hover just below 100 mph. I was well aware that the kids typically drove a minimum of 130, and Carlisle wasn't far below that, but my rule was under 100 unless someone was dying or dead. Either that, or the Volturi were involved.
I glanced at the GPS and saw the there was a national park off the next exit. I decided to stop to hunt. I couldn't risk hurting my human daughter.
Half an hour later, I was back in my Mercedes Guardian and merging back onto the highway. The ETA was seven hours from the moment, and the sun was starting to rise. I checked my phone and saw that Carlisle was online, but Bella was bound to be sleeping, so I didn't call.
I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel and reached over to flip on the radio; the silence was killing me, metaphorically, of course. But moments later, I turned the radio back off because I couldn't think with it on. I let a half-hour pass, feeling every second pass as I watched the world fly by.
My eyes moved to the digital clock as I saw another minute pass: second, by second, by second...
I groaned, throwing my regular system out the window and stepping on the gas. There would be time for driving slow by vampire standards later. Carlisle and Bella were waiting for me.
My speed jolted up to 110. I would not pass that. The world was already flying past much faster than I was used to. I made it to the Canadian border twenty minutes later and stopped to hand over my passport. It was at that moment that the trouble started.
Everyone at the passport office swore up and down that I didn't look anywhere close to fifty-three years of age... and that's exactly what my passport claimed I was. One of the woes of being immortal: you had to keep your documents updated. I had grabbed the wrong passport in my hurry to leave, and now I was in trouble.
The thing was... my photo matched me completely, so the officer tried to convince me to come clean: I was using my mother's passport, for some reason or another.
I stood my ground and even offered to call my plastic surgeon. They said that would be fine. So, counting my lucky stars that my family was filled with medical licenses, I dialled the number of Jasper, praying Alice had filled him in.
"Doctor Jasper Hale." my son answered the phone, and I held in a laugh. This would work after all. I explained the situation to him, for the officer's benefit, and asked him to confirm that I had had plastic surgery done. Jasper played his part well and was appropriately praised by the officials on a perfect recreation of my younger self.
He was silent as I started back out, having wasted nearly a half-hour, and then I spoke to him.
"Thanks, Sweetie. Alice filled you in?"
"Mom, you know Alice." my son replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice, "You nearly there?"
"I'm four hours away..." I started, then, "Alice, again?"
Jasper burst out laughing and I heard Alice giggling beside him.
"Mommy's speeding." I heard her tell someone in the background, sending them into a fit of hysterics.
"No, I'm not." I insisted, watching the speedometer pass 130. There was no hiding anything from Alice.
We hung up a few minutes later and I concentrated on driving for the next hour. It was nearly six in the morning and the sun had almost completely risen. Signs started passing directing me to Forks, and I followed them, pulling off the highway. I passed the sign welcoming me to Forks. Population: not worth stating.
I passed the Swan residence, the school, and then the police station, noting Chief Swan's cruiser in the parking lot. I turned right and passed through two neighbourhoods full of houses that looked exactly alike with no imagination whatsoever put into their display.
As I drove on, the houses were farther and farther apart and the trees closer and closer together. I turned a corner and started making my way up the long driveway and pulled up in front of the house. I smiled to see the black Mercedes parked out front.
I was home.
Leaving all my bags in the car except my purse, I climbed out and let my hair down out of the tight ponytail I had pulled it up in before stepping up to the front door and pulling my key-chain out. I found the right key easily and slipped it into the lock, twisting it until it clicked open. I pushed on the handle and nudged the door open, slipping inside and closing it behind me with a soft click.
I set my purse down on the entry table, hung my coat in the closet, and slipped my shoes off before heading toward the staircase. I mounted it silently and then started on the second one. When I reached the third floor, I looked around with a smile.
My studio and Carlisle's office's doors were open and sunlight streamed from them out into the hallway, but I noted that Edward's door was closed and, upon testing the handle, I found it locked. I turned left and made my way to the door of my and Carlisle's room, aware of the heartbeat I heard coming from it.
I twisted the handle and pushed the door open, smiling lightly to see Bella curled up, asleep, and Carlisle sitting beside her on the bed with a hand resting over the girl's chest. He looked up at me with a smile when I entered and quickly stood. In a flash, he was by my side with his arms around me and I embraced him in turn.
"I missed you so much." he murmured.
"I missed you too." I told him.
I looked up at him and he rested a kiss on my forehead first, and then my lips. The moment came to an end when the blankets on the bed rustled and a quiet moan sounded from the girl. I looked over at her worriedly.
"You only left her side a minute ago." I stated.
"She senses it instantly." my husband replied quietly.
I unwound my arms from around his neck and he took my hand as we slowly walked toward the bed, separating to rest on opposite sides of it. I reached out and brushed my cool hand over her forehead, smoothing the wrinkles out of it and she turned her face toward me.
"May I?" I asked glancing at Carlisle, and he quickly nodded.
I reached over and lifted the girl, cradling her head and upper body on my lap.
"I missed you so, very much, Sweetheart." I whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "We should never have left, my child. I'm sorry."
She rested her head against my chest and I held her, waiting. After another minute or two, her eyes flickered open and I met them carefully, helping her sit up. She looked behind her to Carlisle and he shifted closer, and then she looked back to me. I tentatively opened my arms and she carefully leaned into them, her arm slipping around me as I held her. Her other hand searched behind her until Carlisle carefully took it and placed his other comfortingly on her shoulder.
After another minute, I pulled back slightly and looked down into her face which was streaked with tears.
"What's wrong, Bella?" I asked quickly.
"I'm really sorry," she sobbed, "It's my fault you had to come back. You didn't need to. I'm okay, r-really."
I sat, stunned, for a long moment while Carlisle carefully took her from my arms and secured her safely in his own.
"Please don't say that, Sweetheart," he said quietly, "We wanted to come back. We missed you more than anyone's ever missed anyone before."
"Not t-true." she cried, "I m-missed you m-more."
My heart broke. I quickly reached out and ran my hand over her hair to her cheek.
"Bella, it doesn't matter what you could ever do. We love you no matter what. Leaving was the worst decision of our very, very long lives. You didn't deserve that at all. I'm sorry, Bella. I really am."
Bella stared at me, and then she looked up at my husband, eyes questioning. She needed to hear it from both of us, I realised. Carlisle seemed to as well.
"Isabella, you're our daughter. As much as Rosalie and Alice. We would never completely leave them behind, and we shouldn't have to you. Will you give us one more chance, Honey? Will you let us take care of you? Will you let us be your family? Your..."
He wouldn't say it. Not unless she did first.
"Mum and Dad..." she murmured, and then her shoulders shook with another sob, "You'd do that for a w-weak human like m-me?"
It wasn't an attention-seeking question, I knew. She legitimately thought that.
"You're not weak," Carlisle said sternly before I could reply, "You're the strongest little girl I've ever met."
"B-but, when you l-left, I broke." she choked out.
"We broke too, Bella," I said softly, "Not as completely as you, nor as visible, but you held us together. You were a piece of our family, and it crumbled when you were removed. Did you know that all seven of us haven't been in the same room together since Edward said we had to leave? We love you, Bella."
"L-love you too, Mum, Daddy." she whispered.
Carlisle kissed her forehead and tightened his arms around his little treasure. I moved closer and wrapped my arms around the two of them as Carlisle pressed a kiss to the side of my head.
"I think things are going to be okay, Alice," I said quietly, knowing she'd see it, "Spread the word to the others. We love you all and can't wait to be a family again."