Disclaimer: I do not own anything Twilight; all rights go to Stephenie Meyer.

A/N Shout out to my beta PenguinCullen06

I'm going to put a pretty long 'previously' because it's been over a month since I've posted on this story…yikes! I hope everyone got my NEWS update! Let me know what you guys think of the new story that will be posting soon, and what you think of this chapter! As always, I love hearing from you guys! I hope you enjoy the story!

Also, the song that Esme sings to herself is Hopelessly Devoted by Olive Newton from the movie Grease.

Chapter Five, My Not So Oblivious Friends

Previously…

Carlisle's POV:

"I don't want you seeing this girl anymore." He said with his stern voice, glaring at me as if I was a demon.

"With all due respect, that is not happening." Although my words were confident and finale, I wasn't sure what he would do to keep me away from her. But I silently promised her and myself that I would never leave her, not unless she asked me to.

"You have a life that doesn't involve a messed up girl!"

"How dare you? What do you know about what my life will involve!" I retorted angrily.

He gasped, shocked. "Are you telling me you are walking away from your faith? B-because of some girl!"

I took a calming breath after seeing the worry in his eyes; but I was still outraged on how he was referring to Esme. "I'd never walk away from God. I thought you knew me better than that…and also, who are you to say Esme and I aren't part of God's plan for our lives?"

"You are staying home, the rest of the weekend. It'll give you time to think about what you are doing to your life. These friends of yours are obviously a bad influence."

…

Esme has a terrible father; he beats her and threatens her. But how did we turn out being the bad people in trying to stop it? Even Esme is upset. Running my hands through my hair, I found a couple leaves.

"Ha…I thought she was kidding." I mused to myself.

I frowned though, remembering the encounter with Esme earlier this night. All week we had been trying to find a way to have an intervention for her about her father, she become suspicious and we all thought she had been catching on… she wasn't just catching on. That girl is smart, uncannily so. Maybe intuitive would be a better word, like how mothers are about their children; they just know.

…

I grabbed the icepack and placed it over my swollen eye. Sighing, I pulled out my phone to text Charlie.

To: Charlie

Stuck at home, got caught. Don't think I can make it tonight, but that works because I can just watch Esme's house instead of Renee.

Sending the text quickly, because I knew they should be on their way to pick me up any minute. My phone buzzed only a minute or two later.

From: Charlie

That works. I'll tell Renee. We will drop off the binoculars though, and Garrett's camera. If we are going to do this, we have to get it right.

I didn't like the fact that we are spying on Esme… that we have been doing so since we saw her for the first time when she got out of the hospital. It felt wrong, like we were violating her privacy. We all agreed that looking into her room was not allowed, but we kept an eye on the family room through that front window, and when Charles leaves and returns. Since I live right across the street, I have the job of spying on her house… which probably destroys every possibility of her ever feeling for me like how I feel for her. But if this is the only way to keep her safe, then it's worth anything.

…

THE FLASH BACK

He sped around a corner, obviously furious. We had lost Charles about two blocks ago. He had been at the police station all morning, but then a black SUV pulled up and he left with the driver. Garrett tried, but the SUV managed to lose us even on a none busy road.

…

But after that hour, Charles appeared out of the house with a woman. We were too far away to see her clearly, and Garrett pulled a tiny pair of binoculars out of his pocket. I almost laughed at the convenience of it. But then Garrett gasped loudly, and fumbled around for his camera.

"What?" I asked, straining to see Charles and the woman, looking for whatever made Garrett freak out.

"I-I can't be sure." He said, as he pulled his camera out of his pocket and peered through his binoculars again. His face contorted into disgust, "That…that's Esme's mom."

…

"HEY!" The strong, deep, authoritative voice was what I would imagine the devil would sound like.

I felt my body tense, and saw Garrett from the corner of my eye freeze.

"HEY!" Charles called out again, and came jogging towards us.

Whatever had a hold on Garrett and I's bodies broke, and we scrambled deeper into the forest.

…

"Oof!" Escaped my lips as a stick hit me in the face, knocking me down on my back. I had to hold back any other cries of pain.

"I'm sorry Carlisle, wait here for a moment! I'll explain once we get back to the car." Garrett said as his voice faded with the sounds of his feet pounding loudly on the ground.

Esme's POV:

Earlier in the Morning…

"I'll try to be there later this morning." Dad's voice said to his cellphone as he walked around the hallway, gathering up his stuff for work. "I know, just wait until then." He gave an aggravated sigh, "I've missed you."

I'm listening into his conversation from the crack in my door, watching him, waiting for him to leave the house so I can go downstairs and get some breakfast. I held in my disgust as I heard this…he must be talking to that new girlfriend of his, whoever she was; it had made him straighten up. He hasn't been drunk since the night he attacked me. I held some appreciate for the woman he was talking to.

"I don't give a da-" He started to yell into the phone. "I'll make it up to you! Just don't hang up, and don't you dare leave!" He demanded angrily, marching down the steps loudly.

I felt pity for the woman he was talking to, she better just run as far away as she can.

Like mom…

SLAM

The front door shut behind him, and I waited till I saw his car leave before I ventured out of my room. Suspiciously looking around to make sure he hadn't left anything, I didn't need him randomly bursting into the house. As I walked gingerly out into the living room, I looked out the front window and saw Garrett's car pull up to Carlisle's house. Carlisle came out side, the early sun making him look like a glowing goodness. I watched him run out to Garrett's car; even from here I could see the muscles in his biceps. I had difficulty keeping my mouth closed at the short burst of seeing him; he looked slightly disheveled and completely handsome. After he got into the car, I felt a giggle escape my lips.

I'm totally hopeless…

I turned around to go into the kitchen, contemplating what I would have for breakfast. I softly sang under my breath. "I know I'm just a fool who's willing to sit around and wait for you. But baby can't you see, there's nothin' else for me to do I'm hopelessly devoted to you"

Brzz, buzz… My phone vibrated in my sweatshirt pocket.

"You sit there in your heartache

Waiting on some beautiful boy to

To save you from your old ways

You play forgiveness

Watch him now, here he come

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus

But he talks like a gentleman

Like you imagined when you were young" (The Killers - When You Were Young)

I was stunned at first by my ringtone, completely forgetting that was the song I set for phone calls. It gave me a shiver, but I shook it off, not looking at my phone as I answered it.

"Hello?" I asked, my voice sounding off and slightly higher pitched.

"Es?" Renee's voice asked, "Are you okay?" Her voice turned high with worry.

I quickly snapped out of my daze, the last thing I wanted to do was give her another reason to worry. "I'm fine! Perfectly well! Why are you calling so early?" I asked, glancing at the clock. It wasn't like Renee to be awake this early on a weekend.

"Oh good! I'm calling because Char and I wanted to know if you wanted to have breakfast with us? It's been FOREEEVER since we've had breakfast together!" Renee wined.

I started to sigh, but held in it. I love my friends, but I haven't been in the mood for company. And lately they have all been acting strange…ever since Charles attacked me. I knew better than to believe that Renee had kept her mouth shut about Charles and his more abusive behavior. I could see it in their eyes whenever they saw me, and I couldn't stand to be pitied. "My leg is really hurting, maybe when I get the stiches taken out? I don't feel like going out anywhere like this." I still had bruises and will have a cast on my wrist for months. Luckily though, my rib that was cracked is much less painful now.

"We aren't going out silly!" Behind her voice I heard a car, noticing it for the first time. But it was strange because I heard a car outside.

I spun around quickly, causing pain throughout my whole body. Wincing slightly, I saw and heard Renee's car pull up to my house. I smiled at my friends, no matter how much I said I didn't want company, the truth was I was lonely; and they made the world a little brighter.

Before I can even walk over to the door Renee comes bursting in, "Surprise!" She is carrying a brown grocery sack, and I smell bagels.

Charlotte comes in behind her carrying another grocery sack and an apologetic smile. "Hope you don't mind Es…since we are here and all."

I can't help but smile at my two friends, "Of course this is okay!" How could I not be happy to see them so happy and smiley?

Renee squeals, "Yay!" and quickly walks into the kitchen emptying the sack on the kitchen counter. "Alright!" She says, rubbing her hands together as she looks at all of the food. "We bought bagels, turkey bacon, some white powdered doughnuts, eggs, and orange juice!"

Char puts her bag on the counter and pulls out magazines and movies from a red box. "I thought was movie and magazine therapy was in order. Especially since Ren is going to stuff us with food." She said, grinning at me.

I stare in disbelief at my friends, the way Renee wasn't looking me in the eyes and Charlotte's movie and magazine therapy…there was something else, but maybe I've just become paranoid.

"I'll start the eggs." I say, walking over to the counter carefully and grabbing the carton of eggs with my good hand. Charlotte grabs a pan and spatula for me. "Thanks" I say softly. I love how everyone has been so helpful, but it makes me feel sort of guilty.

"I'm going to toast these bagels, and Char you should set the table all fancy!" Renee says happily.

Char nods her head and starts pulling out dishes setting the table for us.

I look at my friends suspiciously, I know it's terrible of me to think they have alternative motives; but I have this feeling.

~000~

A couple hours later we are lounging around my room, the Titanic (the one with Leonardo Di'caprio) playing on Charlotte's laptop, all looking through a magazine while commenting on the movie.

"Did you hear that the screen when the ship sinks is all filmed in a pool?" Renee said incrediously.

Char rolled her eyes, "Did you think it was really filmed in the ocean?"

Ren threw her a glare, "Well duh."

I chuckled lightly at the two of them, this was the first time since the accident that they were relaxed instead of freaking out over if my ribs hurt or if I needed something.

"Hey what's that?" Renee asked, pointing to something under my window. I turned to see and felt my cheeks heat up, and Renee realizing this scurried over to the window and grabbed it: my sketch book. "Can I look?" She asks quietly, a wicked grin on her face.

I try to find the words to tell her no, but instead this comes out of my mouth: "Don't laugh."

Her eyes widen at my words, she snaps open the sketch book and her mouth forms into a giant O. "Omigosh Es, these are fantastic!" Then she wiggles her eyebrows, "And totally hot!"

Charlotte's face turns intrigued. "Who is it?" She asks as she crawls over to Renee is sitting under my window. She let out a small giggle when she saw, "I should have known."

I feel my cheeks turn a burnt red, "I'm not the only one here with a major crush."

Char looks at me confused, but then casts her eyes away. "Renee and Charlie are together. Garrett is in love with you, you are totally head over heels for Carlisle, its obvious that Carlisle feels the same way about you."

I felt the butterflies in my stomach wake up and flutter about frantically at her words. "What?! He doesn't like me like that…no way." Then I give her a semi glare, "But I was talking about you and Garrett!"

Renee had been ignoring our conversation as she leafed through my sketch book, "Wait what?"

Charlotte looked at her hands in her lap, "Yeah…well it's never going to happen so why talk about it?"

Renee scoffed, "Talking about it helps." Then Ren's face turned determined. "No matter what is going on, it is better to let it out and tell those who love you." Charlotte gave her a funny look, and then her eyes flashed with recognition. "So you should just tell us all about how you like Garrett."

Charlotte sighed, "Well I guess I've liked him ever since we first met, he's funny and sort of adventurous." She smiled as she talked about him, a warm look in her eyes.

"I think you should go for it." I offer, smiling gently at her.

She smiled back at me, "I just might."

Renee's phone beeped, and she quickly snapped it shut after reading her text. "Can we watch this down stairs?" She asked, putting my sketch book back down under the window.

I held in a groan, I hating walking the stairs. But I nodded my head, "Why do you want to move down stairs?"

Renee suppressed a grin, but her eyes were full of light. "Charlie, Garrett, and Carlisle are going to come over." The grin took over her face as she looked at Char and I.

I felt those butterflies zoom around my stomach so quickly that it hurt, "I thought this was supposed to be a girls only therapy day?"

Charlotte shrugged, "You know Renee, her therapy involves men."

I laughed at Charlotte's words, but I had an uneasy feeling about all of this.

By the time we had set up the movie downstairs and gotten to the part of the movie where Rose is trying to use an axe to unchain Jack so they can escape the sinking ship, we heard the boys pulling up and getting out of the car.

Renee jumped up and paused the movie, and opened the door. "Hey boys!" She said, and hugged Charlie, "Took you long enough." Then she let out a small scream, "Carlisle what happened to your face!?"

Charlotte and I jumped off of our seats, me surprisingly being faster than her as I rushed to the door. I gasped as I saw Carlisle walking into the house. "Are you okay?" I asked, concerned. I reached out my hand to touch his face without even thinking, but quickly pulled back. I looked at him critically, seeing millions of tiny scratches all over him, and one of his eyes swollen and bruised.

Carlisle gave me a wry smile, "It's okay, and I'm fine." He chuckled lightly, a little irritation in his voice. "Garrett and I were hiking, and Garrett thought he saw a bear."

Garrett came up beside him, and smiled at me, "Yes and Carlisle here panicked and ran off screaming."

Carlisle turned to Garrett; he gave him a glare that I had never seen before. "I wasn't the one screaming."

Garrett looked away, and mumbled something under his breath. I could swear I heard "fair enough" but I wasn't sure. "Anyway let's all sit down."

Everyone turned towards the living room and sat down. There is only a couch and a chair, so Renee and Charlie sat on the floor. Carlisle, Garrett, and Charlotte sat on the couch, so I sat down on the chair. That uneasy feeling back, but it was intensified by how beat up Carlisle and Garrett looked. Everyone looked towards Charlie and Renee on the floor. Renee took a deep breath and looked at me determinedly.

"I...we all love you very much." She said in a brave voice, "We cannot stand to sit back and watch terrible things happen to you."

I tensed at her words. "I knew it." I mumbled. I looked at everyone who were all looking at me or slightly past me, with fear and concern in their eyes. "I am grateful that you all care so much about me." I sighed, "But things with my father, it's complicated. I-I don't really like talking about it, but it was stupid of me to think you all wouldn't notice." I looked around the room and smiled at them. "This is what you have all been hiding isn't it?" Their eyes shifted uneasily around the room. "I thought so…you didn't need an intervention to talk to me about this, it isn't something you all need to worry so much about."

"B-but he could have killed you." Charlotte said in a quiet and scared voice.

"And what if he does it again?" Charlie asked, a little angry "What if you don't just end up in the hospital for a couple weeks, what if you end up leaving us at a funeral to bury your casket into the ground?"

His words hit me at full force, so this is how they all feel? I'm scaring them. I felt tears forming, but I willed them back. "This looks like a big deal, but it's our senior year; I am free soon. Since this happened, and it was so public, he wouldn't dare leave another mark on me."

"Why haven't you moved out before?" Char asked.

"I tried right after mom left, but one I couldn't afford it, and two it angered Charles. He thought it would make him look bad."

Garrett and Carlisle were the only two who seemed to not want to be here, they weren't looking at me, and they weren't saying a word. Carlisle noticed me looking at them and he locked eyes with me, he seemed a little haunted.

"It's like you don't think what he is doing is wrong." Renee said in a high pitched tone, "Do you hear yourself Es?"

Irritation rose up in me. I was the one who has had to deal with Charles and all his abuse, and I was the one who had the broken bones. I don't think this is right, but I don't have the power to take him down either. I just want to get out of here with as unscathed as possible. Besides, all of them have problems of their own. I know they are just worried about me, but did they really think I needed an intervention?

Obviously, or else they wouldn't be sitting here right now. My mind answered my silent question.

I stood up, "I'm still alive, and I understand the seriousness of this. But I have learned to live around his behavior. The last time, that was very different than anything and he hasn't come home drunk since!" I found myself slightly yelling at them. They stared back at me wide eyed, I took a deep breath. "I am lucky to have friends like you; you're all my real family. Charles, my mother, I don't care what has happened. I have you all now, and I understand that you are just trying to protect me. But honestly, I am okay! And if I ever get scared I will call someone or leave the house. I know you all will help me if or whenever I'll need it. I just…I can't stand you all treating me like this! I'm not helpless, I can handle this." My voice still held some irritation and I was breathing hard. I felt like I could burst into tears, why didn't they understand that I can handle myself?

Carlisle stood up and walked over towards me, it was amazing how he still was as handsome as ever with his swollen eye and tiny little cuts. He didn't hesitate; he just put his arms around me gently and held me. "We just don't want you to do this alone…we all know you can handle yourself." He whispered, "I'm sorry this came out all wrong."

I nodded my head into his chest and hugged him back, "Its okay." I mumbled, not knowing what to say. I was so overwhelmed by being in his arms like this that I truly meant that it was all okay.

After a couple moments, I suddenly felt like everyone was staring at us. Carlisle must have felt their eyes too, because he slowly let go of me. He still stood in front of me, only about twelve inches between us. He was looking down at me, and I couldn't help but laugh. "Now that I am looking at you closely, it looks as if you were attacked by a tree. There are leaves in your hair!" My hand twitched, wanting to pull the leaves out of his hair…or just touch his hair.

Carlisle laughed, "Yeah well, it feels like I was attacked by a tree."

Someone coughed loudly, and Carlisle turned back around towards everyone. They were standing up, and the air turned awkward. I could tell they were upset about their unsuccessful intervention.

"We are going to leave you girls to finish your movie." Charlie said, looking towards Renee. She nodded and he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Talk to you later." He said softly to her. She smiled at him, and then turned to the other two guys.

"What are you doing tonight?"

Garrett and Carlisle shared an uneasy glance, "Uh, we are going to go hiking again." Carlisle said.

"Yeah…because we aren't scared of any bear." Garrett said, and then moments later looked like he regretted what he said.

Carlisle gave him a look, and then the boys said their goodbyes and left with Charlie.

Once the boys left, Charlotte looked at me with amusement. "Because they aren't scared of any bear?" She chuckled, and Renee and I laughed along.

I wonder what they are really doing…

A/N Let me know your thoughts on this chapter! Maybe if I can get something along the lines of ten reviews...I'd be willing to post a surprise POV chapter sometime in the next few days? Yeah, I'm thinking I would be very willing to do so! Just let me know if you're interested in that or not. I love hearing from you guys! Thank you to all who follow, review, favorite, and read this story! (: You help give me inspiration and courage! LOVE!

Also, next week I be revealing what Carlisle and Garrett ran off to do. (; UNTIL MONDAY...or sooner, it's up to you!