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Chapter Three

Carlisle

"Alice, can you see where we will be?" Jasper asked.

Alice focuses for a moment, her eyes glazing over and her body going stiff. "No, sorry. There are just too many possibilities right now."

"Well, why don't we just narrow things down a bit, shall we?" Esme asked brightly. My wife was happy. A new home meant new furnishings and decorating and planning, and every man's nightmare. This was her happy place, her area of expertise. "We could go back to one to our old homes or a new one. We could go back to Appalachia; we haven't been back there in awhile. We've been gone from there for so long that no one would remember us. Anyone who did would be dead…"

Bella shook her head. "I'd like to stay closer to Charlie and Jake, if that's okay with everyone? That way…" Bella trailed off, but with a sidelong look at her daughter, who was staring at the tabletop.

"Of course, dear," Esme answered for everybody, leaving no room for argument that most likely would have come from Rosalie. My wife scratched off a few places off the list. "There's always Denali. We could stay with Tanya and her family."

"We were there not too long ago. Besides, the last time we were there we scared off all the big game away. All the locals were wondering why all the deer herds weren't around," said Jasper. It was hard or him to be in Denali when all the big prey were gone. Lack of food made it harder for Jasper to be around humans. Even the bears and wolves, which were generally afraid of nothing, were gone.

"He's right. Besides, I am sure that there are humans who will remember us," Edward put in.

"We could try a new country altogether. Canada perhaps. It is close enough and no one knows us there. Though there may be a few doctors who may have heard of Carlisle," chimed Alice.

"It's an option. We can leave that on a list," I agreed. "It's a chance for a new beginning and nobody may have heard of us. Besides, we haven't been there since Esme was a newborn," I smiled at my wife. "There's plenty of wildlife and the weather is similar to here if we stay on the west coast."

"Can we stay in a larger city? I know there may be a chance of someone hearing of Carlisle if he works in a hospital and then having to transfer in a few years, but please? Somewhere more exciting than here?" asked Rose. "It would be easier to blend into a larger city and there's better shopping…" she trailed off with a sly look at Alice. She was trying to recruit Alice to her camp.

But Alice wasn't listening to Rose. Her body was stiff and he face was vacant. She was having another vision. Perhaps this was the vision we needed. Everyone waited, ten seconds, thirty, a minute, two minutes. What was taking so long?

Slowly, life came back into Alice's face and a jubilant smile lit up her features. "Alice, what is it?" Edward asked his favorite sister.

Alice beamed at him. "I have an answer after all. And it isn't Canada. We'll get a phone call soon enough from an old friend of yours brother dearest, and you too," with a smile at Jasper.

Edward was startled. He looked intently into Alice's face. "Oh! Oh!" he exclaimed and grinned. "I haven't seen her in ages!"

Emmett let out a growl. "For the sakes of those who can't read minds or the future, can you just spit it out?!"

Alice looked at me instead. "Carlisle, you may want to get your cell phone. You're about to get an important phone call." Alice's eyes twinkled. She just loved keeping everyone in suspense and Edward wasn't about to spill the beans either. He was enjoying Emmett's annoyance too much. I ran down the hallway. The cell phone in question was in my study. I flitted back into the dining room. Six heads swiveled to me, I sat back down.

"Forty-nine seconds." Alice's voice was quiet and low. We all stared at the phone, innocently resting on the tabletop.

The dark-headed pixie turned back to look into Emmett's face. "We're going to San Francisco."

As soon as she spoke the words, my, Jasper's, Esme's, Rose's Edward's faces broke into smiles. Emmett let out a huff, but gave his own big grin. San Francisco would only mean one person.

Bella and Ness were the only ones who were confused. Of course. We never told them about all our friends and we couldn't ask this person to come to the battle against the Volturi. She had her own problems with them.

Alice's announcement had the effect that she wanted. The girl may as well have thrown a bomb. Everyone started talking at once. Exclamations were heard everywhere.

"San Francisco!"

"A big city…"

"I don't have a ready house here!"

"Someplace new!"

"But the sun!"

"Baseball!"

And Edward, last of all, so soft and so reverent that we could just barely hear him, "Leslie."

Bella prickled. She turned to him, eyes flashing, "And just who is Leslie?" Oh dear, I smell jealousy.

Edward chuckled. "No worries, love. Please. Leslie is a dear old friend. She's being living in San Francisco since she was first made in came with the Gold Rush. It's her territory. The entire Vampire World knows of her."

Bella stared at him, hard. "Edward." Her voice was harder than our skin.

Edward chuckled again. "No Bella, she would never show an interest in me like that."

That startled a laugh out of all of us except for Nessie. She was still blinking in confusion.

And the little cell phone buzzed.

I quickly glance at the Caller ID. Leslie. Just as Alice predicted.

"Hello Leslie."

"Carlisle! I just made the most amazing discovery! You will not believe it! This just may revolutionize the vampire community! Or at least vampires like us! This will be huge! It's almost unbelievable! You probably won't believe me unless I show you!" Her voice trilled so fast that I could barely keep up. "Before I start telling you, how is the family? I haven't heard from any of you since Edward's wedding and that was five years ago my friend."

"Leslie, I'm going to put you on speakerphone, is that alright? We're all together."

"Of course. But you had best tell me quickly young man! It is unusual to hear you sound so serious. Though that all of you are gathered together means that Alice saw something, yes?"

Everyone laughed, our laughter sounded like music. Hardly anyone could call me a "young man."

"Observant as usual Leslie. But you fail to remember that I am over two hundred and twenty-three years older than you."

Leslie laughed her silvery laugh. "Nonsense, Carlisle. You are twenty-three." Ah, this old argument again. "I am twenty-seven. That makes me fours years older than you."

"Leslie," my voice turning serious, she stopped laughing. "My family and I must leave Forks and—" I never got to finish.

"Oh please stay with me Carlisle! You would all be welcome in my home. I certainly have the room.

"I already saw us there Leslie." Alice's voice chimed.

"Then why on Earth did you wait so long to tell me woman! You know you never need to ask!"

"Leslie, we would never embarrass ourselves my displaying such a lack of decorum. We are not like the usual people you take in. Besides, I wasn't sure if you already had company there and we still need a cover story," said Alice.

"Yes, that could be a problem," Leslie mused. "Let's see, there are nine of you now…Carlisle, Rose, and Jasper could be siblings. Your coloring is so similar. You lost your parents a few years back, but Carlisle was old enough to take custody of Rose and Jazz. Your parents had left you enough resources. Esme married Carlisle with her niece and nephew, Renesmee and Edward. Your hair is similar enough to pass off as relatives."

Rose and Jazz seemed content enough, but Edward's eyebrows shot up.

"I will not pretend to be my daughter's brother!"

"Do you think anyone could believe that she is your daughter Edward? You're only seventeen for Goodness' sake! And how old does she look now? Don't even tell me. At the accelerated growth rate Carlisle told me about, she must be at least physically thirteen. Am I right? Will anyone believe that a male that is physically seventeen have a thirteen year old daughter?" Leslie's voice accused.

Edward had the wind blown out of him. I wasn't worried. This was good for his character. Not many people could silence my son like that. Though I wouldn't tell Leslie that Ness was actually physically fifteen. Edward sighed.

"Alright," he growled. "If you were anyone else I would have snapped back, you know."

"I know," she laughed. "And that's why I do it. Now, let me continue. You still have Alice, Bella and Emmett to account for…You know Doctor Dear," she used her pet name for me, "you just make things must more complicated when you keep adding more people to your family. It would be odd to have so many among you and at such a close range of ages. Emmett is only a year younger than yourself after all."

All of us were silent. None of us wanted to be separated.

"Why don't I take them? All my colleagues are used to me taking in stray. I daresay that they would be pleased if I took three scalawags on a more permanent basis. If Alice, Bella and Emmett were to come as wards of the state, to me say, two weeks, before the rest of you 'arrive' so there should be no problem."

"That sounds good," said Bella, to everyone's surprise. She always hated being away from Edward and Ness. She looked at her mate, "Is that okay with you?"

Edward sighed. "It's the best course of action," speaking to her but looking at Rosalie.

Rosalie's beautiful face was cold, but her dark gold eyes were livid. She was even more loath to leave Emmett than Bella was to leave Edward. Emmett nudged her and murmured quietly, "Babe, it's the only way."

Esme's eyes were full of sympathy. She looked into my eyes and reached for my hand. I took it. Her eyes were full of her children's pain, "Dear…"

"No, Esme. Leslie is right. We must separate for a shot time. We must do this if we are to live a new life."

"I am sorry to make you leave your mates, but this is the only way that people won't talk. If you were to come down here with your mates, then everyone will talk about how Carlisle runs his household. You know what kind of scandal that would arise. And in San Francisco, these people have the resources to take your family apart. It is the only way for you to live without being harassed about incest. It must be done." Leslie's voice was soft, with small echoes of her own pain. It made us remember.

Rose nodded, he golden hair falling about her face, "We have to do this," looking into Emmett's eyes, face sad.

"Yes," whispered Alice. Jasper put his arm around his mate's thin shoulders and kissed her temple. "It's alright sweet." He looked at me, his face oddly sure, I nodded.

"We'll send Alice, Bella, and Emmett two weeks," my voice firm, "and the rest of us will come down later."

"That won't be necessary Carlisle. I can prepare the country house. All of you can come at the same time; it's just that those three will have to stay with me in the city. And then the rest of the family can descend. You can see each other at night; the country house is only an hour away by car, provided you drive at a human speed."

We al looked at each other and all gave signs of concession.

"Sounds good, Leslie."

"Sure thing. I will prepare the country house as well as the loft. Call me if you have any problems."

"Yes, yes. We will talk later."

"And feel free to bring any of your own things. This will be your home too. But leave the piano, Edward. I have one. Call me if you need me and if you don't, I will call you by week's end."

"Bye Leslie," we all chorused.

"Bye all," she sang. The phone went click.

"You know, we never did find out what her amazing discovery was," Alice laughed.