Carlisle
"What are you three doing tonight?" I asked my children.
"We're going on a triple date. Bella and Edward claim that they're going as friends, but we don't believe them…" Rosalie smiled at Bella.
"Rose, we aren't dating."
Rosalie nodded, but the smile stayed on her face.
"We're not!"
"Ah I see, you're keeping it from daddy dearest…" Rosalie said.
Bella glared at her but didn't deny it.
"It's okay; you don't have to keep that stuff from me." I assured.
Jasper interrupted before she could deny that she was. "Dad, you need to go or you're going to be late."
I stood and said goodbye to my children before walking out and driving my Mercedes over to Esme's home.
I got up and walked up to her door with flowers in my hand. Alice opened the door and looked very cheery.
"Hi Carlisle! Come in, she'll be down in a minute." She stepped to the side and motioned for me to walk in.
I sat down with Edward and Emmett. They were both dressed and looked ready for their dates. Emmett looked uncomfortable with me being there.
"He thinks you don't like him for dating Rosalie so quickly…" Edward said quietly.
Emmett glared at Edward.
"Emmett, I really don't mind, as long as you treat her right." I assured.
He straightened up a little and looked to relax a little.
I heard a door open upstairs and stood up. Esme appeared at the top of the stairs in less than a minute and was wearing a beautiful red dress. Suitable for the occasion. She smiled at me before walking down. She accepted the flowers and went to put them in a vase.
"Hey, Carlisle." Edward spoke quietly so Esme wouldn't hear. "If at any time tonight you want to show affection to her, don't hesitate. She won't mind at all." Edward explained.
"She needs it too." Emmett added.
I nodded, "Thanks."
She walked in after and looked at her three children with suspicious looks. "What did you say?"
"Nothing." Alice answered instantly. "We just stood here in awkward silence." She said sarcastically.
Esme went to speak before Edward interrupted. "Go, go. Have fun." He smiled and opened the front door for us. I motioned for Esme to walk first and followed behind her. We said goodbye to Edward, Emmett and Alice before I opened the passenger door for her.
We got to Seattle in a little less than 2 hours. I parked and opened Esme's door for her again. We walked around the corner where we met the street that the festival was taking place. There were lights all around, trees lining the street with coloured leaves. It was beautiful and Esme was fascinated.
I remembered what Edward and Emmett had said. I grabbed Esme's hand and I saw her face light up. She didn't look towards me, trying to hide the joy she was feeling, but I saw it, and it made me smile.
We walked around and talked and laughed. She admired our surroundings and I admired her. Occasionally she would catch me looking and her smile would grow wider.
Our night was better than I had ever imagined, but it ended too soon. We were on our way home a little past 10 and had reached her house by 12. Edward, Emmett and Alice had texted her and said they would be at my house tonight.
I opened the passenger door and walked her to the house. We stood for a second as she stared into my eyes, her smile glowing. Her eyes were a darkening topaz, just like mine or my children's', but they seemed different. Stunning, more beautiful than I had ever seen.
"Tonight was magnificent, Carlisle. Thank you for that."
"Thank you for coming with me." I smiled.
"Any time." She hadn't moved her eyes, and I thought I had seen a glimpse of love sparkle over them.
It was at that moment where I lost control over my body, and couldn't stop it. I leant down and planted a gentle kiss on her lips, to which she returned.
"Do you want to come in and watch a movie or something? All the kids are at your house so it will no doubt be very loud."
I smiled and nodded before following her inside.
We sat on the couch, her cuddled up to my side while we watched Mr and Mrs Smith.
When the movie had finished, we decided to go for a hunt. Both of our eyes had darkened, not just from thirst, but desire too. We had both been raised in times where saving yourself for marriage was very important, and was frowned upon if you didn't follow.
"Carlisle?" she asked, breaking an ongoing silence that had carried out while we lay on the grass, looking at stars. The sun would rise soon.
"Mm?"
"What is it like to raise children?" she sat up.
I sighed, "I wouldn't know. I was bitten several months after Rosalie's birth. I had only been with Jasper for 2 years, and even then I didn't see him much. Their mother, she never loved me, she despised me. She married me for the money; I was quite a wealthy man, born into a wealthy family, so although they were my children too, she didn't allow me to see them very often. A few hours a day at the most. When I was bitten, I left without a word. I didn't want to put my children in danger. It wasn't until Jasper was 19 that I came across him, and he recognised me. He said that their mother used to show them pictures of me every night."
"That sounds like love to me, not wanting to lose you." Esme said.
"No, she didn't do it so they would know me; she did it so they wouldn't become me. That is what Jasper said anyway. He was terrified to see me, not have aged at all, so I had to explain what I was. After hearing it, he claimed that he still believed that I was a good person. He told me to stay where I was, and returned with Rosalie after about half an hour. She was shocked when I told her. She cried, told me that even though she never knew me, that she missed me and hugged me."
"Why did you bite them?"
"Well, that same night, they told me about their mother and step-father. He was a very horrible man, abusive towards them in many different ways. Rosalie got it worse than Jasper; he believed that females didn't deserve anything other than abuse. Jasper stood up to him several times, but always got beaten back down. Their mother knew what he was doing, and didn't care, so they hated her, too. They didn't like me for a while, because I left them, but they eventually understood that it was what was best. They asked if they could come with me, Jasper asked if I could change them. I declined for several months, but I eventually gave in to Jasper, and gave him eternal life. It wasn't what Rosalie wanted, though. She wanted to grow up, have children, and be in love. So after getting Jasper on a vegetarian diet, she came with us, and we left that awful town."
"So why is Rosalie like us if it isn't what she wanted?"
"Well, the following year when she was 18, she thought she found love. Moved in with him as soon as possible, wanting to start her life. She was walking home late from a friend's house one night. It was only a few blocks, so she thought it would be fine. When she got to the second block, her boyfriend was drunk and with his friends. He called her over. She went, obviously. They beat and gang-raped her before leaving her on the street, lying in blood, thinking she was dead. I smelt her blood when I went for a walk and knew she was running out of time, so I bit her. She hated me for it, she hated herself. She wanted to be dead. She tried several times to kill herself, not knowing if any of it would work or not. I eventually got her to like herself again, every day making her feel special about something."
"That's when he became the main man in my life." Rosalie said. We turned around quickly. All six of the children had come out and found us.
"I'm still trying to get her to love herself, though." I added.
Rosalie snickered and rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, trying. It's not working very well lately." Jasper said quietly.
"Jasper." Bella hushed.
"I hate to break up the party, but you have work soon, dad." Rosalie changed the subject.
I looked down at my watch and noticed how much time had passed. The sun had risen without our knowledge during my explanation, and birds were starting to get very loud.
Edward cleared his throat before motioning to all of the others to leave. They ran through the trees as Esme and I stood up.
"Thank you Carlisle." She said.
I kissed her again, "Come by any time." I spoke quietly and winked before turning and running towards my car.
