Esme's POV
I sketched aimlessly for nothing seemed to materialize on the page. I tried Edward, his piano, Renesmee in the dining room studying and just nothing seemed right. The eyes were wrong. The hair. Her ears. I couldn't focus – my eyes couldn't focus. It was the oddest sensation – like pressure against my lids.
I heard the dryer buzz and went to gather the sheets for our bed. Maybe there was just too much going on in the living room. I should go work in my study, I thought as I moved the bedding into the basket.
Before I headed upstairs I snatched up the sketch pad from the living room. No one paid attention or even looked up from the paper in front of their faces'.
I climbed the two flights of stairs to the third floor and slipped into our room. I placed the sketch book on a chair and went to make the bed.
I tucked the sheets in and smoothed over the cotton fabric. I layered the blanket and then the comforter that were more for aesthetics than comfort as we drew no warmth from the materials. I pulled the pillowcases on, missing the scent of Carlisle's hair that I lost from his when I washed it. I placed the pillows and then covered them before putting the decorative pillows in place on top.
The last pillow, a round one with a floral pattern on it that our granddaughter had made, had rolled away against the wall in the commotion of flying fabric. I went over and picked it and returned to the bed. I crawled up onto it so I could place it right in the middle of the two stacks of pillows. Perfect.
I felt the pressure in my eyes again. I laid back against my pillow and closed my eyes. I tried to find inspiration in my thoughts before I returned to my sketchbook, but they seemed so jumbled….
My shoulder was shaking. There was pressure on it. A hand.
I opened my eyes and the light caught the soft golden hair above me. I smiled with satisfaction and surprise. He had done a good job entering the room undetected.
"Honey, are you sneaking up on me?" I asked teasingly.
I caught his eyes then and saw that something was off. "No, I called your name several times," he said with worry in his tone and a deep frown on his lips.
"Carlisle, she was asleep." I didn't even realize that Edward was standing in the doorway, but I could see him past Carlisle's shoulder.
Carlisle uncharacteristically hissed at our son. "That's not possible."
I began to sit up as Edward took two steps into the room as he watched me.
"Edward, what are you talking about?" I asked. "I just laid down for a moment. I just felt a little weary."
Edward was studying my face. "You were dreaming for several minutes," he insisted.
You're wrong. I was trying to find inspiration.
The sound of a text message alert went off in Edward's pocket. He looked perturbed at me then grabbed the phone. He read the message and his expression shifted to one of surprise. He read the message out loud. "Alice says stay calm. Carlisle, don't freak out. Esme is going to be more than fine. She's on her way home."
"She was asleep," Carlisle said out loud, as if searching for answers. He hand wrapped around mine. I looked at his face, but he said to no one in particular, "We can't sleep."
The phone alerted Edward again. "Alice says she's running home. Carlisle, no freaking out."
I was staring at Carlisle – looking at him to make sense of what was being said. He didn't appear to have an answer and that worried me.
A moment later Bella was at the foot of the bed looking as scarily concerned as Carlisle and Edward.
"Esme, are you alright?" she asked.
"I…" What could I say? I didn't know what they were talking about. I had just closed my eyes. How much time had passed? "I feel mostly normal. I've felt weary recently, but that happens sometimes, right? Edward says I was dreaming…" I turned from Bella to Carlisle.
I heard the front door open and a moment later Alice was in the room. The look on her face was the complete opposite of the grave expression on her face. "Khalida is coming!" Alice affirmed with a grin.
"What does that have to do with Esme?" Carlisle shouted, making me flinch.
Alice's expression didn't change. "It has everything to do with Esme's condition." Then she added, "I can tell you the condition, but Khalida is going to explain to you how it came to be."
"What condition?" Carlisle asked. I could tell he was trying to reign himself in so he didn't yell again. His eyes darted to Edward. "Edward? Alice?" he begged. I was becoming very apprehensive.
I was shocked when Alice laughed at Carlisle's pleading. "Usually it's the doctor that says this."
"Alice!" he yelled.
She centered herself, grinned and said, "Khalida will have to explain the how, but Dr. Cullen, Mrs. Cullen, you are having a baby."
The world tilted. What was happening? How could Alice be so cruel? What kind of sick joke was this and why was Edward playing along? I couldn't contain my outburst.
"Alice! That's not funny!" I shrieked.
Carlisle wrapped an arm around my shoulder and held me to him.
The grin disappeared and Alice spoke, "Mom, I'm not joking. I wouldn't do that to you. I know it's what you want more than anything. I wouldn't joke about such a thing. You're pregnant, and Khalida had something to do with making it possible. She's on her way to explain."
I dropped my hand to my stomach. This couldn't be true. I looked at Carlisle begging him with my eyes to tell me something, but I found no answers. He looked as lost and confused as I now felt.
Edward spoke up, "Alice isn't lying, Carlisle; what she sees is Esme pregnant."
I felt like I was going to cry. Why were they doing this to me?
Carlisle touched my cheek and I could see he was trying to compose himself. His voice was calm as he asked, "Esme, my love, did Khalida do anything to you?"
"I gave her a gift." I recognized the voice immediately. Khalida was standing just outside the door. She stepped into the room as her dark eyes flickered between me and Carlisle. "It was actually for both of you. Carlisle, I spoke to your wife at length. You are both so good and have so much, but the one thing your wife desired more than anything was to bring your child into this world."
I heard her words, but I couldn't believe them.
"It's not possible," Carlisle said to her.
The impish grin I had seen during our private conversations in the rainforest returned. "No, it's not, until it is. Six years ago it was impossible to you that any vampires could become biological parents, but your granddaughter proved that it was possible."
I glanced at Edward and Bella, but their eyes were locked on the mysterious woman.
Carlisle tried reasoning, "But there was some logic to that. Bella was still menstruating and was human. She could have children."
Khalida wasn't deterred. "You have seen all kind of gifts over the centuries, Dr. Cullen. Shields, mind readers, mood manipulators, vampires who see the future, cause pain, blindness, and so much more."
"Yes, but nothing that changes the physiology of another being," Carlisle argued.
"Call me the next evolutionary step," she said with a mischievous expression. "My gift is to make the impossible happen. In a way it's magic, but there is no illusion. What I make happen is real. If I will it to happen, it does, but I find that what I grant once it does not seem possible for me to bestow a second time. Esme will be the only one ever to receive this gift."
"Why me?" I heard myself ask. I was shaking.
Khalida's looked at me with caring eyes. "As I told you that night, you have a great heart, Esme Cullen, one of the best I have ever seen, regardless of our kind. And your husband may be the best of our kind of all time. I have never met one such as he, and doubt I will meet one like him ever again. He is all good and compassion and care for his fellow creatures. He loves everyone, but his family more and you above all. You two deserve happiness and peace always. I told you I was giving you what you desired most.
"I touched you and focused on your womb and gave life back to it. You'll bring a baby into this world as women have always done. It will be a nine-month experience. You are still a vampire, but you'll require rest now for the sake of your child. Your body will grow and change as your baby grows inside you. For twelve months, your body will be able to sustain your child, and then it will go back to how it has been since 1921."
She was so confidant and honest with her words. Could it really be true?
"I'm really pregnant?" I could barely speak.
"Yes, you are," Khalida whispered back.
I was on my feet a moment later, hugging my newest friend. I couldn't contain the sob that was rising in my chest as I said, "I don't know why you think we deserved this above all others of our kind, but I will never be able to thank you enough."
Khalida shushed me and took my face in her palms. She looked in my eyes and said, "I told you before. You and your husband have no equal when it comes to family and love. No one else will value this gift as you do and will. I'm happy to give it to you above all others."
I embraced her a bit longer before releasing her into my husband's arms.
"Thank you for this miracle," I heard him say.
Carlisle held me next. He was my anchor and I needed him to secure me then.
I was brought back to the room when Edward cleared his throat and said, "Khalida, thank you for being so generous to Carlisle and Esme. It truly is something that they have longed for always. I do have one question though, what will this child be?"
I turned in Carlisle's arms to watch her while she responded. She didn't waiver.
"That's a reasonable question, Edward. He or she will live their formative years as a human with a few upgrades, and when he or she comes of age, another wish will be granted. At that time you can decide as a family what the future for your child will be. And now I leave you to process this and tell the rest of your family. I will not leave you alone though. I know more questions will arise. I will check in throughout the pregnancy. Carlisle, you are a doctor. Treat your wife no differently that you would treat a human pregnant woman. This experience will be nothing like Bella's. I assure you, it will be as normal as it can be for her."
I looked toward Bella who was looking at me. I turned back to Khalida, but she was already gone. Alice headed right for the door. Edward held out his hand to Bella who took it and they fled right behind her, shutting the door and leaving us to collect our thoughts.
I looked up at Carlisle – my husband, my partner, my best friend, and the man who was father to our "children." His eyes were soft as he too was grasping what this meant.
"Carlisle," I whispered, "you're going to be a daddy."
He pulled me into his arms and held me tight as he broke into sobs. We held each other up as we made our way over to the bed. I couldn't stop crying and neither could he. I laid beside him, curled against him. Eventually the sobs quieted. His fingers twisted around a lock of my hair. I raised my eyes to his. They were waiting for me.
"Can this be real?" I asked.
"She was right when she said that Renesmee proved that the impossible is possible." He sounded so positive.
"But she's talking about magic!" I blurted out.
"Esme, my love, vampires shouldn't be able to sleep and yet you were dead to the world just a short time ago."
Was he really as calm as he sounded?
"But does that really prove anything? It's not like we can do a blood or urine test," I pointed out.
"Alice sees it. How could she see such a thing if it wasn't true? She wouldn't put you through it. She wouldn't have said if she wasn't absolutely positive." He seemed to believe it, but I still felt a tiny bit of doubt.
"Your faith is stronger than mine, Carlisle."
"I have sons that can read minds and manipulate anyone's mood. I have a daughter who can see the future. I have a granddaughter who is the child of two worlds. I want to believe that your nap and Alice's vision were signs that you are carrying a miracle inside you because I've seen magic and miracles in our own family more times than I dared to ever imagine before you came into my life."
"She said to treat me like a human. What's going to happen to me?"
"We'll have to wait and see."
"Do you think you'll be able to do an ultrasound?"
He laughed and pulled me toward him to place a kiss on my forehead. "I don't know, my love. My wife expecting our child is completely new. We are going to have to take this one step at a time. I will do anything for you as I have always." His hand touched my abdomen. "I am yours. You are the mother of our children."
"I could only be at the most a month along. It would have had to been on the island," I said, thinking out loud.
"There must be something in the air there," he said with mischief in his voice.
"Carlisle!"
His lips captured mine to smother my protest.
"I love you so much," he said looking down into my eye as if I was the most precious thing on earth. "You are going to be a mommy, Mrs. Cullen."
We heard the car containing Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper making its way toward the house.
"We should go talk to our children and granddaughter. I'm sure they are curious and concerned."
"Rosalie," I said with alarm worrying about how my condition could break my oldest daughter's heart once again.
"Remember what I said – one step at a time."
He helped me up off the bed and smoothed my hair.
"This is the best news we ever have had to give our family. Treat it as such," he said as he kissed my lips again. He took my hand as he lead me out the door and began our descent to the living room where we knew our children would be gathered to discuss our news.
Author's Notes
Thank you to my betas, December LeNoir and sweetishbubble!
Does this chapter feel like déjà vu? Carlisle remembers this moment in the original one-shot/chapter 1. I felt it was important to show you what Esme was thinking when they found out. I hope you enjoyed it.
Next up – Time to discuss their miracle with their kids.
