April 15th , 2023

Esme's POV

The sun was rising behind my eyelids, as I snuggled my bare body against the side of my husbands, the sheets partially draped over our naked forms. One arm was wrapped around me, his palm resting on my bare back, pressing me close to him. One of my hands was mindlessly touching his bare chest, as it had been since I rolled off him.

Birds had been cheeping softly outside for hours.

Carlisle's rhythmic breathing had soothed me into a sleep-like trance after making love. We had talked for a while afterwards as we always did, until a comfortable silence fell over the house, our room, and us. And we laid there together for the rest of the night.

I shifted for the first time in hours, stretching in a very human-like manner, inhaling deeply, and then buried my nose back against my husband's body.

"Mmm…Carlisle," I mumbled as I let go of my deep breath. His eyes were still closed as he slipped both arms firmly around me, rolling us onto our sides and pulled me into his spoon. He was pressing against my backside. He buried his nose in my messy locks, inhaling my scene that was lightly tangled with the erotic stench of our post sex scent.

"I love you," he mumbled against my hair, then pulled it aside, sucking lightly on the nape of my neck. It sent a shiver down my spine, enticing me to roll over and straddle him. But I let him continue, kissing as far down my neck and back as he could reach without shifting. I reached a hand for my phone, checking the time.

"Carlisle, your meeting is in just over an hour," I said as one hand slithered up and cupped my breast, his finger playing lightly, eliciting a response from my nipple.

"I can miss it," he sighed heavily, not showing any concern for his lack of care about the situation.

"No, you can't," I scolded him lightly, rolling over to face him, "Now go shower. You can't attend a meeting looking, and might I add, smelling like you do," I added.

He smirked, "Well you know our normal scent is appealing to humans. I'm sure my many colleagues will find this one even more so," he gave me a cheek grin. I slapped his bare shoulder hard enough to make a loud smack.

"Even more reason to shower!" I told him; my eyes wide in shock. He laughed, running his fingers through his ruffled blonde locks.

"You know I'm teasing," he said and captured my lips in a kiss before flipping the sheet off his body and headed towards our bathroom. I smiled, gazing at his naked backside. The subtly sculpted muscles of his shoulders, and his butt made him look like a Greek statue. I sighed to myself as he closed the door almost completely, leaving a crack in it that was our unspoken sign of "join me". I listened as he turned on the shower, and stepped in. I quietly slipped off the bed several minutes later, when the scent of his soap drifted into the bedroom.

I pushed the bathroom door open softly, seeing my husband through the glass walls of the shower. His back was to me, as he was rinsing his hair, the soap running down his back, over those perfect muscles. I couldn't help but bite the corner of my bottom lips, admiring him for a moment, before slipping into the shower behind him.

I wrapped my arms around his torso, pressing my dry chest to his wet back, and rested my cheek against his shoulder blade.

"Hello, my love," he said, his head still under the shower head; his voice reverberating off the glass in an echo. He turned in my arms, looking down at me, water dripping off his flattened locks and his nose, as the water poured over his back, semi-protecting me. I leaned in and pressed my lips to his chest, kissing his wet skin.

"Hello," I smirked in response.

"I thought you didn't want me to be late?" he asked, that mischievous tone to his voice, lowering his head to suck and kiss on my scar. I smiled against his skin.

"I don't…" I teased, "But a few more minutes with my husband while he showers won't hurt anyone,"

Carlisle smiled, his hands gently cupping my breasts, squeezing them softly, before dipping his head to take a nipple in his mouth. I weaved my fingers into his wet hair.

"Carlisle," I moaned softly, throwing my head back. One hand slid down my body, and behind me, cupping my rear, "Mmm…baby,"

Just then he turned us, and my back was against the stone tiles of the shower. His lips met mine again, as his hands continued to roam my upper body. His dominance over the situation was turning me on and out of frustration, I grasped one of his hands and forced it between my legs, holding it there until he understood what I wanted; to which he greatly complied.

My body was shaking from his touch and I reached a point where I knew I had to stop, because if he threw me over the edge, I wouldn't be able to let him leave for his meeting. I would need him more.

"Carlisle, you're gonna be late," I warned him much like before. He chuckled, but hesitantly stepped away from me. I leaned against the wall, still desperately craving his hands on me again, but he slipped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around himself.

"Finish up. Behave. I'll be home in a few hours," he said, leaning to give me a kiss, and then slipped out of the bathroom. I sighed heavily; a feeble attempt to relieve the sexual tension. I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Behave. Such a tease that man was. Oh, I'll behave. Until you get home…

I finished showering, rung out my hair, wrapped my body in a towel and exited the bathroom. Carlisle was already long gone, but his fresh scent still lingered in the air. I inhaled it, letting it relax my mind, as I sauntered into the closet, in search of something to wear today. No one was around, and I had no plans on going anywhere today, so I opted for a plain pair of leggings, and a one of Carlisle's dress shirts. It was obviously too large on me, but I just rolled up the sleeves. I slipped on a lacey bra, black of course, before throwing the white shirt on, leaving the top few buttons undone.

I brushed my wet hair, allowing it to air dry. I decide to forego any makeup and wandered down the hallway into the study. I figured I may as well work on some blueprints while I await my husbands return.

I went over to my blueprint cabinet, selecting the prints I had partially drawn up over the past few weeks. The structure plan was done with each of its floors, but the water lines, and electrical had to be done next. I leaned over my standing desk, scanning the papers, listening to the birds twittering to themselves merrily through the slightly open window. The sound of a quiet summer day was always so soothing to me.

I closed my eyes for a moment, remembering myself sitting up in the tree at 16, the wind blowing my hair as I sketched the farm from the perfect vantage point. Straddling that huge limb in a very unladylike and difficult way with my skirt on. I could see all the way to the end of the property from up there. Birds sang above me, unaware of my presence in their dwelling. My father was in the barn, milking the cows.

I opened my eyes, reveling long enough in that memory, and returned my attention to the blueprints. I stared at the blank lines of the walls, waiting for their outlets and switches to be drawn in, but for some reason I just couldn't focus. I sighed, abandoning the blueprints and sat at my other desk, pulling out my tablet. If I couldn't focus on wiring the house, maybe I could do some digital design for the exterior. Find the materials I wanted to use for the home.

I reached for my pen to draw, that was sitting in my pencil holder, and my eyes landed on that stupid necklace. Sitting exactly where I left it the previous morning. Sitting there all casually, as if I hadn't witnessed it do some type of voodoo magic. My hand hovered over the pencil holder, as if forgetting what it was reaching for.

Curiosity won and I picked up that strange little trinket cautiously. Some one would think I was afraid it would bite me. No, I was just afraid if I moved it like I had yesterday, the same thing would happen. Examined it, bringing it up to my face. I noticed the little inscription on it was in English. I had thought it was a strange language when I glanced at it upon opening the box, but I must have just been looking at it upside down.

"I mark the hours, every one, nor have I yet outrun the Sun. My use and value, unto you, are gauged by what you have to do."

I read the inscription out loud as I carefully rotated the pendant. What did that mean? Was what I saw yesterday actually real? Was this… a time traveling device?

I laughed out loud as well at my silly thought. Time travel wasn't real. Don't be absurd Esme.

But a small part of my brain wanted to believe it. Vampires weren't supposed to be real either… but here you are.

Again, my curious mind won the debate, and I held the two little knobs on either side between my fingers, and like I had before, turned it towards me. But nothing happened. I looked around the room, looking for…something, a sign. I scoffed, looking down at the pendant. Of course, it had all been in my head before.

My eyes fell to the unnecessarily long chain. It had been around my neck before. I rolled my eyes, doubting something as simple as that would work, and slipped the chain over my head, and held the knobs again, and slowly began turning them the rings toward me again. But then everything started shifting and I froze.

I turned my head towards my blueprint desk, and she was there. Standing with her back to me, still, as she gazed down at her blueprints. I knew it was me. Just like I had seen yesterday, she was doing exactly what I had been doing minutes ago. Curiously I watched her as I slowly kept turning the knobs, and she moved in reverse, putting her blueprints away and then disappeared backwards down the hall. Everything was moving faster, but I couldn't hear anything. I stopped turning and sound returned, the sound of water running in a shower was coming from our bedroom.

I kept turning. A figure appeared briefly in the hall. Blonde and dressed in his work clothes. Carlisle?

I stood from my chair when he disappeared into the bedroom. I stopped turning the pendant and walked quietly down the hallway towards our bedroom. Voices filtered through the closed door as I stood outside of it, listening.

"Carlisle, you're gonna be late," I heard my own voice echo from in the shower. A moment later a second voice replied.

"Finish up. Behave. I'll be home in a few hours," came my husbands voice and I heard the bathroom door creak open softly. I could hear shuffling from within our room before a moment or two passed and the door opened, almost making me jump. Carlisle walked past me, not noticing me standing there, much like my own self had not seen me when I offered her a hand.

He walked down that stairs and I heard the front door open and close, then his car fade into the distance. I heard the water turn off in the shower, knowing that was me finishing up.

I looked down at the pendant and held it up again, turning it backwards once more. A car reappeared, Carlisle came back, disappearing into the bedroom. I kept turning further, noticing it was getting dark again. And when I stopped turning the pendant, I was standing in the dark hallway, a soft light was grazing my feet from the crack beneath the door. I listened, and from behind the door I heard something all too familiar, and both my hands shot up and covered my mouth.

Carefully I reached for the doorknob, turning it as slowly as I possibly could. I had already established these ghost versions of us could not hear us. But would they see my interactions with the environment? Ever so slightly I cracked the door open, peering through the inch-wide gap. It felt so strange to be spying through my own door, as if I was one of my kids.

The sight before me was not one I ever imagined I would witness from a third persons point of view.

The room was dimly lit with only a single lamp on the bedside table. Clothing was abandoned on the floor in unruly piles. My gaze fell to the bed, where barely covered by a bedsheet, was myself, completely bare, and straddling my husbands lap. Soft moans and whimpers could be heard among the other sounds of each others flesh contacting. My fingers were running through his messy blonde locks as his mouth was pressed to one of my breasts, his hands wrapped around my hips as I bounced rhythmically.

"Oh god," I moaned, throwing my head back, and instinctively I closed the door. I had to cover my mouth again as I heard myself reach a climax.

The events I was witnessing were the events of last night. God is that what we sound like? I thought to myself, in an attempt to tune the moans out. And Jesus, I did not look half as sexy as I felt straddling my husband.

I picked up the pendant between my fingers again and turned it the opposite direction very quickly. In a blur, mere seconds, the sun came up, Carlisle disappeared out the front door again, and I emerged from our room, before my ghost caught up to me and hit me with that same thud.

And I was left standing in the brightly lit hallway. The house was silent, and I was alone. I pulled slightly on the chain, more questions arising. I walked back to my desk and sat down. If this necklace only worked when it was around my neck, what would happen if I went back and took it off. I held the pendant up and turned it slowly, just far enough so I could see myself walking down the hall, seconds ago. I didn't want to risk going too far backwards and getting stuck or something. When I saw my ghost walking towards me, I lifted the chain over my head, and she stopped walking. I studied her for a moment. She hadn't just stopped, she was frozen. Mid stride. Like someone had hit pause on a movie. Holding simply the pendant with two fingers, I stood from my desk again, and approached her cautiously.

When I was standing in front of her, I gazed in awe for a moment. I reached out with my free hand, and just as before, my hand fell through her like she was a ghost. I picked up the dangling chain with that same hand and jumped back in shock when she resumed on her merry way. I didn't understand. Still having the chain tangled around my fingers, I turned the pendant until the ghost caught up in time with me.

So, the chain didn't have to be around my neck. I just had to be touching it for time to move. I stood in the hall, my mind in amazement, unable to even process this.

Time travel… it was real…