Five weeks had passed since Esme agreed to have Emmett and Rose look for the Voltori on their own. Now that the day for them to leave was here, Esme couldn't help but feel anxious.
"Please be safe." Esme said to both Rose and Emmett as they were packing up the car.
"Mom, for the tenth time, I promise we will be." Rose said, giving her mom a quick and gentle hug.
"Besides, I doubt we are even going to find them." Emmett said carelessly.
"Emmett!" Rose hissed, sensing her mother stiffen.
"Wha.. Oh well I mean you never know. Listen we will keep you and dad posted." Emmett tried to smooth everything over.
Taking a deep breath Esme smile. "I expect a phone call at least once a day."
"Yes ma'am!" Emmett saluted, getting in the passenger seat of his Jeep.
After a couple more hugs and many more "I love you's" Esme stood on her front steps watching her children drive away. They were long gone when Esme felt her husband place his arms around her midsection, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Love, it's time to come inside, I have a surprise for you." Carlisle's voice rumbled in her ear, that sent shivers down her spine.
Walking inside Esme sat down on the living room couch and let out a small breath. She was now 16 week pregnant and her feet were hurting from standing for so long. Placing a protective hand on her stomach she looked up and smiled at her husband.
"Love, I know you have been stressed out for awhile, with trying to find Gracie, worrying about the Voltori and now Emmett and Rose, but I think that it is time for us to go on a little vacation." Carlisle suggested.
"A vacation? Where were you thinking?" Esme asked, loving the idea of relaxing for a few days, and coming back to everything with a fresh mind.
"I was thinking we could take a trip over to your island. We haven't been there in awhile." Carlisle suggest.
Esme's mind wandered back to the day when Carlisle surprised her with the Island. It was a wedding gift. She had always wanted a part of the world just for her. A place she could have anything and do anything. To show his love and appreciation of her, he bought her an island.
"Isle Esme." She whispered, a smile on her face, remember the day he first brought her to the island, telling her it was all for her. They hadn't let the island for a month, before they realized they should go home to their kids. They try to make it back there at least once a year, but no one has been there since Bella and Edward's honeymoon.
"Yes my love, I think we are long overdue for a visit." Carlisle said, crouching down in front of his wife, sharing her same smile.
"When were you thinking of leaving." She asked,
"Alice already packed for you, we can leave whenever you are ready." Carlisle said with a smile on his face.
"Would it be a good idea to leave now? I mean the kids just left and the others.." Esme started before Carlisle interrupted her so calm her down.
"Are old enough to fend for themselves and Rose and Emmett won't be in Italy for a while and they are going to call everyday. Esme, you and I both know we get reception on the island and we won't be far." Carlisle tried to convince her.
"Okay, I think some free time will be nice." Esme confessed.
Before she knew it, Esme was sitting at the airport waiting for the gate to be called to board the plane.
"What are you thinking about love?" Carlisle asked.
"Nothing really, I'm just a little anxious." Esme said, picking at her fingers. Carlisle watched, her human traits, they were very fascinating to him. He felt like he was learning so much more about her. How she picks at her fingers when she is nervous, or snores ever so slightly when she is over tired. Every time she would show how human she was, he felt like he was falling in love with a new part of her.
"Nothing to worry about, we will be on the island before you know it." Carlisle said, grabbing her hand hoping to ease her anxiety.
After a couple of hours on the plane and a one hour boat, Esme sank her feet into the still warm sand on her island. The sun had gone down when they left the docks, but Esme could see everything in front of her. She saw Carlisle moving around their house, turning on most of the lights, for her benefit mostly. Taking a deep breath in, Esme felt her stress slowly melt away.
Making her way up to the front door, she opened it with ease, and was greeted by her husband.
"Welcome home, my love." Carlisle said smiling.
Laughing with her husband, Esme entered her house and looked around. She was always taken aback by the beauty of their house and their island. Her vision got blurry and when it cleared she felt tears running down her face.
"My love, why are you crying? Is something wrong?" Carlisle asked, wiping Esme's tears away, causing her to shiver slightly.
"Nothing, nothing is wrong. I always feel so much emotion when I come here. It reminds me of the time you first brought me here. It's a reminder of how much we love each other." She confessed.
"Oh, my dear Esme." He placed his forehead against hers, both savoring the moment before he leaned down and captured her lips with his.
Lost in the kisses and the love they have for each other, Esme hadn't realized he was carrying her their bedroom with ease. She continued to kiss his lips, cheeks and neck with such haste. When entering their bedroom, Carlisle laid her down on the bed before standing backup, staring at her, with a strange look on his face.
"Carlisle? What's the matter?" Esme asked, breathless from the kiss that ended only moments ago.
"I am afraid I might hurt you or the baby." Carlisle confessed.
"I believe you wont. You have so much mental strength. You haven't hurt me in the 16 weeks I have been human, but I understand if you are uncomfortable." Esme said, sitting up and placing her hand on his cheek, trying to comfort her husband.
"Are you not afraid that I could hurt you?" he asked.
"Why would I? You are the most loving, careful, talented, and graceful person I know. You have enough willpower to know when to stop. You work around humans all day, surely you trust yourself." Esme cooed.
"Okay, but slowly." Carlisle suggested, leaning back down, causing her her lay back down on the bed.
"Slowly." Esme agreed.
Later in the evening, Esme was fast asleep, wrapped in her husband's arms, exhausted from their activities earlier in the evening. Carlisle watched his wife sleep, unable to stop smiling.
Suddenly there was a quick sound outside that caught Carlisle's attention. Lifting his wife slightly, careful not to wake her, places her on her side of the bed and made his way to the giant windows to look outside. A flash of red caught his eye, followed by a banging sound on the side of the house, loud enough to wake up Esme.
"Carlisle?" She asked, sitting up in bed.
Placing his finger on his lips, letting her know to stay quiet. Having her nod her head in agreement. Carlisle saw another flash, but this time it was of white. Growling softly, he made his way outside to investigate.
Carlisle caught a sent that was vaguely familiar. He stood very still, waiting to hear anything.
"Carlisle." he heard from behind him, He turned around and saw Aro, Jane, and Marcus.
"Wha.." Carlisle struggled to find his words.
"Carlisle, our old friend, please, would you let us inside?" Aro asked, gesturing towards the house.
Carlisle suddenly remember Esme, sitting in their bed, pregnant and human.
"I don't believe that would be wise, what can I do you for Aro?" Carlisle asked, hoping whatever business they had would be quick.
"Oh, we just need a place for a few moments, let us catch our breath." Aro insisted, his smiling looking sinister yet serious.
"I repeat, I don't believe that would be.." Carlisle started before he was interrupted.
"Carlisle?" They all heard Esme's sweet and quiet voice, coming from the window.
Carlisle began to panic, knowing as soon as they saw her, they would know she was pregnant. Her stomach was definitely out, and their child was letting them know that they were there. Not to mention the heat that radiates off of her body.
He looked behind him and saw Aro, standing in front of his wife, his hand on her shoulder, staring at her, and Carlisle began to fear the worst.
"Well, I would say Congratulations are in order." Aro announced, removing his hand. "Now, would you be so kind as to let us stay here for only a moment."
Dumbfounded, Carlisle nodded, showing them the way in.
Once they were all inside, Esme met them in the living room, visibly shaking.
"Relax Esme, I saw everything with Benjamin. You two have both proved yourself to be able to handle something like this, just make sure our secret stays just like that. We don't want another Bella and Edward situation.
Letting out the breath she had been holding, Esme gestured for them to sit, which all three of them took gladly.
"What are you doing here?" Esme asked.
"We have ran into a bit of trouble, and are unable to go back to Italy for awhile. We have been roaming around for weeks on end, and are grateful you have let us into your home." Aro announced.
"Who are you running from, or what?" Carlisle asked.
"I am not at liberty to say." Aro said, his smile completely gone now.
"Is there a way we can help." Esme asked, hoping to get them out of her house as soon as possible.
"There might be, but I can not give you a direct answer right now." Aro confessed.
An idea suddenly hit Esme, and she took in a deep breath.
"We will offer to help you, on one condition." Esme announced confidently.
"What would that be?" Aro asked, taken aback by how forceful shew as being.
"You tell us everything you know, did, or said to Gracie."
"Deal." Aro said, his sinister smile playing on his lips.