Chapter 12: Looking up

Edward PoV:

"Come in."

Alice and I entered tentatively, making sure to move softly and slowly to not disturb the quiet of the room.

Mother was sitting up in bed, rested against the headboard, which was a bit of a shock, as often she didn't have the energy to even raise her head to take a sip of water or eat a bite of food. She looked better than either Alice or I had seen in months.

"Come sit," mother said as she patted the bed beside her. "I am sure we have much to discuss."

Alice and I approached slowly, sharing worried glances. We weren't worried about how mother would take the news about Marie, that is if Carlisle hadn't already told her. I was certain she would love Marie just as I did. I was more worried that mother would try to dote on the girl, though she was still bed ridden herself. It was hard enough to get her better when she still wanted to care for Alice, Jasper, Rose, and I, though having Dr. Carlisle Cullen as a stepfather has certainly been helpful. Pulling myself from my worried thoughts I took purchase in the chair beside the head of mother's bed, while Alice had perched herself at the foot, making sure not to sit on mother's legs.

"Now, tell me what in the world you were thinking!" Mother admonished me, lightly slapping at my hand which I had rested on the blankets next to her. I could feel the blood rush to my face as I turned crimson. I had already been reamed about running out into a blizzard by Alice, but coming from mother, it held more weight.

"I wasn't, really." I muttered with my eyes downcast.

"You silly boy," she said as her hand came up to delicately caress my cheek. "I wish I could be angry with your lack of thought before doing something so silly. However, Carlisle told me that you very likely found that girl just in time, had you not run so recklessly into that storm, she would have been long passed by the time she was found. Quite possibly, she would have been there until the snow thawed," Mother said, falling into another bout of coughs.

I was taken aback, I had known Marie had not been in good health when I found her, due to her unconscious state, but she had a single sign of frost bite. Had I realized just how close to leaving us she had been, I would have caused a much greater scene when she fell unconscious once again at breakfast this morning. When Mother had recovered from the latest fit, she grabbed both me and Alice by the hand.

"I am beyond proud of you both." Mother said looking from Alice to myself and back again. "Tell me, how is our guest fairing now?"

"She was sleeping when we left her to come see you." Alice stated.

"Just sleeping?" Mother asked with a raised brow.

Alice seemed at a loss for words, and I can't say I was much better. Mother had always seemed to know when we were keeping truths from her, and this moment was no exception.

"Well, she was technically in a state of slumber mother," I said tentatively. "But she didn't merely fall asleep."

"She fainted mother!" Alice interjected.

Normally I would have been annoyed with my sister, but in this moment, I was more than grateful. I didn't like speaking about Marie's conditions, it only made her fragile state that much more real to me. I hadn't had the chance to even begin to know her, but my heart didn't care.

"Goodness!" Mother said, her hand moving to cover her mouth in shock. "That is most certainly not good. What happened to cause such a thing?"

Mother's brow was creased with concern, and I could tell, though she hadn't so much as seen Marie, she already cared deeply for her, as if Marie was her own daughter. The idea of my mother so readily accepting the girl I was falling for made my heart stutter.

"Well, she seemed surprisingly sturdy this morning as she wandered into the dining room, all things considered, we were all quite shocked to see her up and, on her feet, seeing as she was so lost to unconsciousness last night after Edward found her."

Alice continued to prattle on with all the unnecessary details of each hour since I carried Marie in out of the storm last night.

"Oh my, the two of you certainly have had a busy time of things since last night. And I will have to speak with Carlisle about this. He has excellent bedside manner as a doctor, but when he isn't fully in that setting, he tends to push a bit too far. His curiosity can get the best of him at times." Mother chuckled at herself and proceeded to change the direction of conversation once more.

"I believe I need to speak with Carlisle. If you two could be dears and fetch him for me. Tell him that once he is done tending to our guest that I expect to speak with him. And please do come speak with me again soon my loves. I know that keeping your dear mother company is far less exciting than our new guest, but I do so love your company."

Alice and I both carefully moved to give mother and gentle hug and a kiss on the temple before we made our way to exit her room. I was happy to see that mother hadn't had another coughing fit while we had sat with her. Perhaps she truly was getting better. I could feel myself beginning to hope, and for the first time in a while, I wasn't afraid to. Just as Alice and I reached the door mother called out to me once more.

"Oh, and Edward?" She asked as I turned to face her from the doorway. "Perhaps this afternoon you could play for me? I have so missed hearing you play."

"Of course, mother, and song in particular you would like to hear?" I hadn't even touched my piano since mother took ill, but I could tell she was feeling better, and I couldn't bear to tell her no.

"I would love to hear my song if it isn't too much to ask. I will ask Carlisle to help me downstairs for lunch, and afterwards you can play it for me."

She was grinning ear to ear; it was the first time I had seen so much life in her eyes in far too long. Something had changed for the better with mother, and a part of me, the irrational part, wanted to believe that I had truly pulled an angel from the snow when I found Marie last night. Things were truly looking up.

A/N: Hello everyone! We finally got to see Esme! I am excited to see the relationship between her and Marie develop into something beautiful. Inspiration has been hard to find for me in the past week or so, I am still far behind where I want to be and have no chapters backlogged. I am hoping that with the completion of this chapter I have made it out of the writer's block and can get the steam rolling on this story again.

As always feel free to leave a review, I look forward to hearing from you!

~Rylandra