Esme's POV

"Narcoleptic Esme…Esme!" Emmett teased then yelled with a poke in my side.

"I'm fine!" I said a little too loudly.

"Esme, just go lie down." He sounded slightly exacerbated, but he could have just been dramatic.

"Emmett, I'm fine," I protested again.

"Mom, that's the second time today you have nodded off standing up. You haven't slept." I could hear how concerned he was, but I was going to be stubborn.

"I'm a vampire. I don't need sleep."

"You do now." I ignored him and went back to reading the magazine before me on the kitchen counter. "Esme, am I going to have to carry you upstairs and tuck you into bed? You know I will."

"Don't you dare, Emmett Cullen!" I said as I turned to stare him down.

"Mom," Edward said as he appeared at my side to diffuse the situation. His hand rested on my arms. "Come with me. Don't argue."

I sighed closing the magazine on the counter. He called out, "Bella, Esme and I are going are going to the cottage for a little while."

"Do you need me to come along?" Bella responded.

"No, thank you, love," he called back with a grin on his face.

He led me out the back door into the light rain and the short distance to his home with Bella and Renesmee. Edward and his family came over to the main house much more than we ever went there. I created the cottage to give them some privacy when they were first married, but also to give them a sanctuary.

"And we very much appreciate it," Edward said to my unspoken thoughts as he opened the door. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and took me over to the sofa. There was a fire burning low in the corner fireplace. He sat us down, keeping me at his side.

"Why are we here?" I asked. I had just let him take me out of my home and I hadn't questioned it.

"Because you are so exhausted that you just let me remove you from your home with no question or argument," he said teasingly as he placed a kiss on top of my head, but then he became serious. "Esme, your thoughts have been very jumbled the last two days. You have received the most incredible gift and shock at the same time. You know you have to take care of yourself. You know your body is going to act in ways that we thought it wasn't currently designed for. Right now the only thing you know you can and should be doing that is different is sleeping, and yet you refuse to rest. You keep blowing everyone off telling us that you are not sleepy yet, but I know and you know that is a lie. You just fell asleep standing up, Mom. Talk to me. Why won't you just go to bed?"

"'Just go to bed?'" I blurted out with a wave of my hand. "You say that like it's some natural thing, yet Edward, I haven't just gone to bed since 1921."

"You haven't had to-" I cut him off.

"And that's exactly my point. For 90 years I have witnessed every moment of life passing me by with both eyes open. I've never missed a thing."

"We would wake you up if anything significant occurred," he said, trying to be reasonable and talk me through erratic train of thought.

"I believe our lives our significant."

"I'm not saying that isn't the case, but it's a normal rainy day in Forks, Washington, your husband is at work, and your children and grandchild are puttering around the house. You won't miss anything of significant importance."

I was silent. Did he really not know?

"I'm scared," I uttered.

"Of what?" he asked patiently.

"Of giving myself over to the darkness. Of being unconscious and unaware and vulnerable in a way that I have never known in this life. Can I even dream and if I can what will it be of?"

"So you fear nightmares?"

"I fear everything about it." My voice was getting higher, but so was my level of anxiety. "I'm not supposed to be able to sleep anymore. It's not the way a vampire is designed. I'm supposed to be aware and alert at all times. During my first marriage, sleep was my protection. It was where I could escape the horror of my reality. In my dreams, I was able to be happy and sometimes even conjure up a beautiful doctor who had treated a stupid girl in her youth."

"Esme, you have never been stupid."

"That's beside the point," I said giving him a playful pat on the arm. "The point is I needed the rest from my traumatic days and the opportunity to flee into dreamland. My dream came true. That doctor is my partner for forever. Dreams can come true."

"Yes, they can, but most are just dreams. Renesmee dreams every night and rarely what goes on in her mind while she sleeps comes to fruition," he explained.

"Rarely, but things do come true."

"More from moments of coincident than her willing it from her dreams."

"But it does happen," I argued.

"Esme, this is irrational."

"Is it?"

"Yes, and I think it's the lack of sleep that's making you paranoid. I can understand the concerns about vulnerability. It was part of what I found fascinating in watching Bella sleep when she was human and still do with Ness, but they and you are surrounded by people who love you and will protect you. I understand your insecurity because you have been alert and able to put your guard up so easily if ever necessary. You need to trust that we will be your protectors while you rest. We can even help you with the dream part if your fear is nightmares. I can check in on your dreams and if I'm not around Jasper can sense if you are distressed. You are not alone in this Esme even if you feel like you would be."

My son held me to him and I stifled a yawn.

"Look, it's busy and noisy up at the house. Just lie down here where it's quiet. I'll stay with you and chase away any bad dreams."

I was still skeptical.

"Esme, you are going to reach a point where you are so exhausted that you are going to drop where you are standing. You have already dozed off twice today. You have a choice to limit your vulnerability by taking a nap here and now or have Emmett draw a sharpie mustache on your face while you are passed out on the kitchen floor."

"He wouldn't dare!"

"No, he wouldn't to you. Jacob, yes. You, no. But you get my point," he said with a teasing ruffle of my hair.

I nodded defeated and Edward offered these words of encouragement. "Focus on the reason why you are going through this. Esme, your last unfulfilled dream is coming true. You'll feel better once you rest and will come to appreciate how wonderful sleep is. In this case sleep means you are taking care of yourself so your unborn child is taken care of."

He was right as Edward so often was. I kicked off my shoes while he got up to add a log to the fire and retrieve a blanket from a basket across the room.

"That's not really necessary, Edward," I said point toward the quilt.

"It's for comfort more than warmth." I could hear the fatherly tone in his voice that I so often hear when he's talking to his daughter.

"It's still not necessary," I said being just as difficult as Renesmee.

"Humor me, Mom," he added as he unfolded it. "Lie down."

I grabbed his hand and expressed in my thoughts what I verbally couldn't get out. He sat down again on the sofa at the far end and I lay down resting my head in his lap. He tossed the quilt over me and stroked a hand over my hair.

"I'm anchored in. I'm not going anywhere," he said quietly. "Sweet dreams, Mom."

"Thank you," I whispered. I closed my eyes. I could hear the rain falling against the windowpanes and the crackle of the embers in the fireplace. I didn't know what exactly would happen next.

Then Edward, his hand still gently caressing my head, began to softly hum my favorite tune…


Carlisle's POV

I had been hoping to get out of work a little early or at least on time, but a half hour before the end of my shift a patient with a broken ankle hobbled into the ER. An hour later I was finally getting behind the wheel of my car.

The last two days since we learned of this miracle my mind has not stopped racing. I've had two shifts since then that luckily, for the safety of the patient, haven't involved major surgery. There were the initial reactions of disbelief, joy and excitement from our family that have turned into deep reflection and uncertainty. No one knows quite how to behave.

I knew from our experience with Bella that we had combed through every possible scrap of information regarding procreation and vampires in existence, but I never had read anything like "What to Expect When You're Expecting" or "The Everything Pregnancy Book." Both were now on my iPad along with about a dozen more.

Esme was completely out of sorts. Most of the time she was moving around the house like it was business as usual and then other times her mind seemed to be a millions miles away or worse, that she was quite literally in shock.

We were only two days into this incredible reality and we were a mess.

We had to get it together as a couple and as a family. It wasn't that we didn't support each other; we just couldn't get a grasp on what to do. Esme had to snap out of it. All the questions and concerns that plagued me in the hour after we found out about her miracle were still there. The only way we were going to get answers was to start testing them. I didn't want to push her, but she need to be healthy and she need to be taking the actions necessary for her own health as well as the baby's – our baby's.

I pulled into the garage and turned off the engine allowing myself to once again conjure up an image that I had so many times pushed away over the past 90 years for my own sanity – Esme with our newborn in her arms. The first time Edward placed infant Renesmee in Esme's arms I was overcome watching the sight before me. The joy and love on her face as she tenderly held a miracle in her arms left me speechless and at the same time jealous. Of course I was thrilled, but Edward and Bella had stumbled unknowingly and not for wanting into possessing this most precious gift. Edward made Esme a grandmother, but I could not make her a mother in the same sense.

That had all changed.

I walked into the house longing for nothing more than to see Esme's face, but I sensed no hint of her.

"Welcome home, Grandpa!" Renesmee called and jumped up from her seat to give me a hug. Ness has always been affectionate, but along with becoming more of a teenager, her affection had being waning lately. Since Sunday, she had been rather clingy to anyone who was available. Anyone on the receiving end would never begrudge it.

I held her for an extra moment. "Thank you. Where's your Grandmother?"

"She's at my house with my Dad. They have been there for a while."

I looked into the living room where the rest of the family was gathered. Everyone was staying close together.

"She's fine, Carlisle," Alice said with a dramatic sigh.

Bella spoke up, "I think he just wanted to give her some peace and quiet."

"Should I head over there?"

"It's been several hours. I'm sure she will be very happy to see you," Bella said with a smile.

My eyes went to each face. Jasper gave me a nod. Emmett a wink. Rosalie didn't look up from her kindle. Bella and Alice both shooed me with their hands.

I placed my bag down by the staircase and took off the heavier raincoat I wore for appearance sake and stowed it in the closet before heading out the back door toward the cottage.

I could smell the smoke from wood burning in the fireplace as I approached. I could see the light through the window as I neared the front door.

"Come in, Carlisle," I heard Edward say quietly before I could even knock.

I went inside and walked into the living room to find a spectacular sight. I had a feeling that I was going to see many wonders over the next eight months.

Esme was curled up on the couch on her side. A blanket covered her body and she was using Edward's lap as a pillow. One of his hands rested on her caramel locks. Her eyes we closed and she didn't move an inch to acknowledge my presence. She was asleep.

He gestured to the chair closest to him and I took it. My eyes never left them.

"She hadn't slept at all since Khalida's announcement," my son said, keeping his voice low and even so as not to wake her. "I know she told you she napped yesterday, but that was a lie. She didn't want to worry you."

"Why?" I asked with the same tone.

"Use your thoughts, not your words. Let's keep the disturbances to a minimum," Edward said.

I nodded and thought the same question, "Why?"

"I'm sure she'll open up to you now that I got it out of her, but she's been frightened by the vulnerability of sleep. After 90 years of complete awareness, I can't blame her for being scared by the idea of shutting down for hours a day. She's also been afraid of where her mind would wander while she was asleep."

"Do you mean dreams?"

He nodded. "She was afraid of bad dreams?"

"Why?"

"All of her good dreams from her human life have come true or are coming true. She is afraid of there being nothing left to dream about but bad things and that they could come true too. She knows that she is being irrational, and I would also blame her paranoia on her lack of sleep. Her judgment has been a bit clouded. I'm hoping she'll feel a little more like herself when she wakes up."

"And what has she been dreaming about?" I thought out of concern.

He grinned and looked down at her head giving it a light pat. "I don't want to give up all her secrets, but there's been nothing frightful. It has been nothing but good thoughts."

I wondered if she would share her dreams with me when she wakes up, I thought to myself, but Edward responded anyway.

"That's if she remembers. She didn't really seem aware of her dream on Sunday although so much happened so quickly after that it's not surprising," he said thoughtfully. "It may be very human like that some stay with her while others disappear when she opens her eyes."

"How look has she been asleep?"

"A little over three hours. I didn't know how long she would be out once I convinced her to go down."

"Do you think we should wake her?" I asked as I watched her peaceful face.

"You're the doctor," he said teasingly. "I think we should probably help her get on a regular sleep schedule at night. The fact that she is napping at 8 p.m. is probably not a good way to go about that. I would say you could carry her back to the house and put her to bed, but that wouldn't help her with her fear of being vulnerable. Going to sleep one place and waking up having been moved somewhere else when she was unconscious is exactly the type of thing that would set her back."

"I completely understand."

"So maybe you should wake her up and then take her home to bed."

I nodded. "Thank you for taking care of her."

He shrugged. "I've loved her for nearly as long as you have, Carlisle. I'll always be there when she needs me."

I stood up and squeezed his shoulder before lowering myself in front of him and my sleeping beauty. I touched her shoulder and gave it a gentle, but firm nudge. "Esme, my love, time to wake up."

She didn't stir.

I stroked my hand over her cheek, "Esme, darling, it's getting late. It's time to go home."

She still didn't move and Edward chuckled.

I shook her shoulder a bit harder this time. "Esme, it's time to get up."

Her head bobbed and her face reacted with a wrinkle of her nose and a tight squeezing of her eyes before they blinked open. I tilted my head to meet her gaze.

"Hello, sleepyhead," I said with a smile.

She smiled back and said, "Hi," then asked, "What time is it?"

"A few minutes after 8," Edward said above her.

She turned over to look up at her son, obviously still collecting her bearings.

"Thank you," she said as she sat up and looked toward the dark windows. "PM right?"

"You are correct. You slept for about three hours."

"Why did you wake me?" she grumbled. She still looked very tired.

"So I could take you home and put you to bed in our bed," I said amused by her sleepy grumpiness.

She nodded and ran her hand over her face. She went to stand up, but to my utter surprise she was slightly off balance and I caught her in my arms.

"Do I need to carry you home?" I asked out of concern, but it was something I would happily do.

"No, no. I can walk," she said holding me a moment longer before reaching down to slip her shoes onto her feet. "Are you walking back with us, Edward?"

"Of course," he said. "I told you I would be nearby and I'll talk with Jasper."

I was confused.

"We're just going to keep an eye on Esme while she sleeps and keep the bad dreams at bay."

"Thank you…for everything," Esme said to Edward, giving him a hug.

Our return to the house was swift and we were received with embraces by Renesmee once again.

Esme waved to the living room and mumble "Good night," before taking my hand to walk upstairs. When we entered our room she headed straight for the closet.

"Do you want me to run you a bath? It will help you relax."

"I think I'm already relaxed," she called back.

I removed my suit jacket and tie and kicked my shoes off as I listened to her shift items around in the closet.

"What are you doing in there?"

She reappeared a moment later wearing one of my t-shirts and nothing else. It looked much better on her than it ever did on me.

"I hope you don't mind. My wardrobe is relatively limited when it comes to clothes to sleep in. The things I have for our time in bed are meant to be taken off."

She sauntered over to the bed and removed the decorative pillows with an un-Esme-like toss onto the floor and pulled down the comforter and sheets.

"I wouldn't mind something that I can take off," I said as I walked over to turn down my side.

"Not tonight," she murmured as she climbed onto the bed.

I didn't want to get into the bed fully dressed so I headed toward the closet to look for something to change into, also aware of my wardrobe's inadequacy when it came to sleepwear. I found the pajama pants that Alice had gotten all the men in our family for Christmas mornings since Renesmee joined us. I put them on and left on my undershirt.

Esme was sitting cross-legged on the bed, her head lowered in her hands. She looked up and gave me a tired smile as she caught sight of the Santa themed pajama pants. "Ho Ho Ho, Carlisle."

"My wardrobe isn't ready for this either," I said as I sat down on the bed and reached for her tense shoulders to begin massaging them. "I thought you said you were relaxed."

"Did Edward talk to you before you woke me up? About my sleeping problem?" she asked hesitantly.

"He did," I said as I continued to rub her shoulders and place a kiss on the back of her head. "He said you lied to me about napping yesterday."

"I'm sorry. He told you about my anxiety?" she said as a question.

"Yes, and I won't leave you. You have to rest, my love, and we should try to get you to sleep nightly so you aren't exhausted during the day. It's the one human like thing we know you need to adjust to. We should start with this one and then try to figure out what other changes are happening if there are any others."

"I'm so happy and excited, but fear of the unknown has sunk in, Carlisle. I'm set in my ways. I'm used to this life. This is what I have wanted for so long, but now that I have it…I guess I never thought the reality would be so scary."

"From my conversation with Edward, he said your nap went well. Do you remember your dreams?"

She shook her head.

"You didn't wake up feeling distressed. You actually woke up and smiled."

"I was happy to see you. I missed you."

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her up toward the headboard. I leaned against it and rested her against me. I looked down into her tired eyes as I cradled her head in my arm against my chest.

"You're going to be alright. Women have been given birth since the beginning of time. You have been through this before and you won't be alone this time. We need to figure out what the changes are as they come along. We also need to enjoy this. We need to cast aside the fears. Yes, it's scary that these changes are happening to you. I'll admit that I'm scared, too, but Esme, we're having a child, and we need to celebrate that and enjoy this incredible time. You are surrounded by so much love and we are going to take care of you and our newest family member."

She stretched a little then wrapped one arm over me as she snuggled against me.

"You are forever safe in my arms, Esme Cullen. I promise you that," I swore as I leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"And there's nowhere that I feel more safe," she said with a yawn.

"You should try to sleep again, my goddess," I said as a twirled a lock of her hair in my fingers. "I'll keep the boogie man away."

She chuckled and looked up at me. She reached up to touch my face.

"I love you," she said. "I don't know if sleep will come that easy."

"Do you want me to sing you a song or tell you a story?" I said half teasing, but also half serious.

"Tell me a story," she murmured.

I smiled as she pressed her cheek against my chest.

"Once upon a time, a lonely healer walked this Earth. He met many people throughout his journeys, but never someone who would be a true companion. One day he met a young man who he felt a deep connection with. He brought the young man into his life and continued on with his travels. The healer was happy for he was no longer alone and had found a true friend. Several years later the healer came upon a beautiful princess who had fallen from the tower she had been trapped in by a vile creature who tried desperately to destroy her spirit. She had tried to set her spirit free to escape the evil creature, but she had leaned too far while helping it escape. The healer was struck by her beauty and saw that her spirit was still with her. He set about healing her and reuniting her beauty with her spirit. When she finally awoke healed and strong, he was stunned to discover that she not only wanted to travel beside him, but she loved him and he loved her in return. For some time thereafter, the healer was in disbelief that he found so much happiness and was no longer alone.

"Over the years he added more companions and they called themselves a family. The healer and the princess loved each other very much and wanted their family to grow, but when the princess fell she lost the ability to bear children. It hurt the healer that someone as good, kind, and loving as the princess couldn't be the mother that she longed to be. The princess became known throughout the kingdom for her good heart. One day the she came upon an enchantress who immediately saw her goodness and with no hesitation granted the princess the miracle she long for. The healer and the princess were overjoyed and nine months later they had a perfect newborn that they raised together for eternity…Esme?"

She didn't move at all. She was asleep, something so human, but she was a vampire. There was no breathing. She was silent and perfectly still. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. For hours I kept her in my embrace. A few times she adjusted herself. Her movements came without warning and were quite swift.

At 4:35 a.m. her eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning," I said leaning over to kiss her.

"Is it morning?"

"It's early. It's just after 4:30."

She buried her face against my chest and I heard her murmur. "It's not time to get up yet."

I couldn't help, but laugh. "Are you feeling better about this sleeping thing after experiencing it?"

She looked up. "A little, but I meant that we can stay here for a while longer. Did I miss anything?"

"Well Mrs. Cullen lay perfectly still for most of it while I watched her sleep and she was devastatingly beautiful."

"Perfectly still?"

"Well you did move every once in a while, but when you did it was rather quickly and not much at all. You weren't rolling all over the bed if that's what you were wondering. You stayed in my arms."

"My favorite place," she said as relaxed against me. "Do you have to do anything before work?"

"I'm off today, love. I work the night shift tomorrow. My job today is to figure out my pregnant wife's needs."

"I need you," she punctuated with a kiss on my chest.

"You have me always. I meant other needs. Like your diet."

"I'll make breakfast for Renesmee and see if anything is appealing."

"There's a possibility that it may still be unappealing, but you may need it."

"We'll cross that road when we get there. Since she won't be up for a few hours I'd like to spend at least the next hour snuggling with my husband."

"As you wish, princess."


Author's note

Thank you for your reviews and feedback! Please continue to share your thoughts.

Thank you as always to my betas, December LeNoir and sweetishbubble!

I published a new one-shot called "Self Portrait" that I hope you will take a look at if you haven't already. It is a bit of a flash forward for "The Esme Chronicles" of activities that will take place in the 1960's. Summary: Esme leaves her family to go to Paris for an internship. A flirty colleague is intent on getting Esme into bed, but she is determined to stay true to her husband in this city where passion rules. Will she find her release through her art or will she give into this handsome Parisian?