It was finally time for me to go back to my job at the hospital. Somehow, I found penance in that. If I could save lives, I could somehow save myself. Even being what I was seemed redeemable. Looking into the eyes of someone who would otherwise be lost if I had not been there for them was more than enough to get me through the long days. I knew no other joy than this. My life was filled with this obligation. Compassion filled my very soul.

But now I had found something else.

I had left Edward to care for Esme when I had needed to go back to work and he didn't mind the days off from the mundane and plain life of independent study. She seemed to adapt to our way of life quite quickly but it would be a while before she could have any human interaction. She spent most nights cleaning the otherwise musty house, restoring the furnishings to a state of decency. Edward and I were, after all, two men who were not at all suited for chores.

I came home after my night shift had ended and found Edward and Esme sitting across from each other at the kitchen table. They both looked up at me when I entered. I looked into her face and her eyes seemed to lift and glow. I felt a strange sensation from this small gesture. Edward cocked his head at that moment and I was sure he saw the surprise in my head.

"Hello," I said to both of them. "What have you two been doing today?"

Esme answered with much enthusiasm. "Edward was telling me about his ability to read other's thoughts so I've been quizzing him. Of course, he won but I know I can stump him sooner or later." She smiled at him and then looked at me again her amber eyes beaming.

"Well, I would commend anyone who could stump Edward here. He's a great boy but a little self-righteous sometimes about his power." I winked at him. She giggled and then caught my gaze. We stared at each other until I finally broke my contact.

I turned to Edward, my voice shaky, and said, "I'm going to go and wash up." A huge smirk played across his face. No doubt, he was rummaging through my mind again and laughing at my chagrin.

"Sure, I think I'm going to go to my room and play some records."

"Sure, you do that," I nodded at him. If only I could blush. I knew he would never forget this and would taunt me for being so disheveled in her presence. He left the table abruptly and sped to his room. I looked after him and then turned my gaze on her. She was calm and so very lovely. I took the now empty seat at the table. I placed my hands on the surface, clasping them in anxiety. I was... nervous. She suddenly placed her hand on mine and we both looked at them surprised at the closed proximity between us. I looked up into her face and her eyes followed mine.

"Carlisle," she said so sweetly. "I... I'm glad you're home." She removed her hand from mine and placed both of them underneath the table. Her head dropped and said nothing else. I figured I shouldn't make this as awkward as it already was.

"Yes, I'm glad too. I'm glad I could come home to such a pleasantly clean house. I could never keep up with it, even having all this time on my hands." I chuckled. I hoped I could distract her from the shyness that overcame her. She sneaked a smile and looked up at me.

"I'm just trying to repay you for the kindness that you have shown toward me. You have been so attentive to all my needs and I feel like I could never thank you enough for any of it." Her eyes looked over my face. Her words were sincere and I could see this in the depths of her eyes, in her soul.

If only my heart could beat. For that moment it seemed like all the walls that had been built between us came crashing down. It was so sudden that I had this overwhelming feeling in my chest. I examined the contents of that gorgeous face, the angles of her jaw, the almond of her eyes, the roundness of her cheeks. They all came flooding in, consuming my very being. I had to look away but I couldn't. It was she who broke the concentration. She looked away half blushing in her embarrassment. Her cheeks would have been the color of rouse if only they had been allowed.

I got up from the table and stepped toward the kitchen. I rubbed my face and paced the space in front of the table. I looked back at her and her beauty was still penetrating. How had this come on so suddenly? I had begun to feel for her but nothing like this could have crossed my mind. She was something to live for now, something to touch and feel. To know that her presence brought such a joy to me was enough to keep me grounded here.

"Would you like to go hunting with me? I'd also like to show you something, a secret if I may." The words were all wrong. I felt nervous and it showed.

She seemed a little surprised but not by my request. Her eyes were perforating through my pretenses. She somehow knew what I wanted. She replied with a simple "yes" and she left her chair and took my hand in hers.

The warmth emanating from her tender touch was simply invigorating. Nothing could contain the fire that burned within my bosom. I felt so belittled by my boyish nervousness and anxious stance but one look from her and I could not let those thoughts get the better of me.

We took off running through the door and headed deep into the forest.