Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight universe.

4 - Alice

His hands were a little firmer than usual, his lips a little more insistent. "Carlisle?" Esme said tentatively as his lips burned a trail down her neck. She moaned as his teeth grazed just below her ear. He raised his head to kiss her fully, ignoring her question and choosing instead to focus on the moan.

She saw his eyes as his lips descended and her brow furrowed at the strange flash of anger she saw there. "What's happened?" she whispered against his lips. She gripped his collar and pulled away. "Tell me what's wrong, darling."

He only growled in response, his fingers caressing the flesh of her hips before jerking her up against him. She wrapped her legs around his waist automatically, her body reacting to his ministrations, even as her mind urged her to get him talking.

"I need you, Esme," he ground out, "I just...I..." His words were rough but as he lifted his gaze to meet hers, she saw the familiar desire there mixing with the sudden extreme vulnerability.

"I'm here." She was annoyed at the shakiness of her voice. Nothing about Carlisle frightened her. Even when he had loosened the reins of his control, even when he didn't take the time to gentle his actions, even when the passion overwhelmed the both of them, she always trusted him.

It wasn't Carlisle that frightened her, it was the unfamiliar look in his eyes, his unwillingness to tell her what was wrong.

She pushed it all down and threaded unsteady fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes and lowered his lips to her jaw insistently. His hands were kneading the flesh of her thighs where he supported her weight.

Every movement had an edge she wasn't used to. She tried to direct his lips back up to meet hers, intent upon offering him whatever comfort he needed at her own pace.

He growled and ignored her guiding hands, choosing instead to nip at the skin of her shoulder, his sharp teeth stinging as they nicked her skin. He jerked his head up and again met her questioning gaze. Another growl escaped his lips and he moved quickly to slam her against the wall. It didn't hurt, of course, but her mouth fell open in surprise.

They had made love against walls before but they weren't Emmett and Rosalie. They didn't toss each other around and rattle windows. He raised his fingers to rip at her shirt, and she caught his hands in hers before they could do the same to her slacks. "Carlisle, slow down." Her voice was insistent now and she felt his fingers relax in her hands before he pulled them free and tugged at the zipper.

His fingers stilled as the door was flung open with force. Little Alice stood there, her eyes taking them in boldly. "Oh no," she said, unconvincingly. Her voice was deadpan as she made it obvious that she was interrupting them on purpose. "What a surprise."

Esme peeked around a tensed Carlisle, her eyebrows raised as Alice met her gaze. "I'll leave you two to talk."

Her emphasis on the last word didn't go unnoticed by either of them. Esme kept her gaze trained on the door as Alice retreated, easing the door closed behind her.

Carlisle was slumped against Esme now, one arm braced against the wall, the other holding her tightly. He had his eyes closed, his head bowed to rest against her shoulder.

"Carlisle?" Her voice was again tentative.

He let out a little laugh on a shuddering sigh. "Our Alice," he whispered.

Carlisle reached a hand back and tugged her legs free from his waist. He let her slide down his body to stand in front of him.

Esme watched in confusion as he opened his eyes and took a step away. He ran a hand through his hair and raised his hands simply. She tilted her head. Was it a gesture of surrender or was he trying to show her that he could keep his hands to himself? Was he trying to show her that she was safe?

Esme bit her lip and stepped forward but Carlisle jammed his hands in his pockets and retreated further away. "I'm sorry, Esme." He sounded broken as he settled onto their bed. He planted his elbows on his knees and thrust his fingers into his hair.

She watched him before sighing simply and crawling to sit on the bed behind him. "Talk to me." She pulled the blanket from the end of their bed and draped it around her shoulders.

The silence stretched between them. "Are you all right?" He turned slightly to glance at her and then bowed his head again.

She stared at his back, seeing now that he wasn't breathing. "I'm fine, Carlisle." A breath escaped him in an explosive little gasp. "I'm not fragile," she said

"I frightened you." The words were delivered on a pained moan.

Esme shook her head as if to disagree. "Only because you won't talk to me." She reached out a shaking hand and touched him lightly. "I wish you would talk to me."

"I had a terrible shift. I just – I saw you and you always brighten my day. Being with you always makes me so happy. I just - "

Esme crawled closer, her hands hovering over his shoulders for a moment before she wrapped her arms around him and melted into his back. "Talk to me. Tell me about it." She pressed a soft kiss to his neck and he turned to meet her gaze. She smiled sweetly, her heart breaking at the look on his face. "The children have school. Jasper is hunting. We have all afternoon for me to make you happy." She winked in a decidedly un-Esme way and Carlisle couldn't help the little burst of laughter.

He sobered quickly and leaned his head down to press a kiss to her arm. "You know I'd never hurt you."

"Of course I know that, darling. We've both been...less than gentle before."

"But not – " He sighed and turned, breaking her embrace to face her. "I'm supposed to have legendary control."

She smiled, sitting back again and crossing her legs. "And I'm supposed to be the one person you can allow to see you slip."

"You and Alice."

Her smile grew. "Alice gets to see everything."

Carlisle's eyes had gentled, the grief had fled and the anger had flared out. He was her husband again, strong and in control. He reached out a hand to touch her for the first time since he stepped away. He trailed steady fingers over her cheek, across her jaw. She caught his hand and held it between both of her own as he shifted to face her more fully. They sat with their legs crossed and knees touching on their sea of a bed. His shoulders slumped as he sighed and finally started to talk. "I had a really awful shift..."

Alice had never thought of her power as a responsibility or burden. She had never bothered to carefully consider her visions or agonize over the choices they presented.

She acted on instinct, letting her general kind nature and quick mind guide her. She saw it as a gift, a chance to live in a sure future and save others from moments of needless pain. For as long as she could remember, her power had brought her nothing but good. It guided her first to her soul mate and then to a loving family.

Esme and Carlisle were the steadying force in their lives. Esme had held her arms out in welcome, never less than elated to have two new children. Carlisle guided them with a sure hand, always the picture of perfect control, gently correcting their missteps.

Alice had seen visions of them for years before she found them. She had seen Esme and Carlisle in intimate moments, in tense moments, in happy moments, and in difficult moments. She knew that their connection was something special, that their love story was a guiding example.

She moved from the house slowly, her eyes focusing and unfocusing as she checked to make sure her interruption had worked.

They would have been all right, of course, had she not interrupted. Esme would have remembered, just for a fraction of a moment, rough hands from another life. Carlisle would have found none of the comfort he was so desperate for in their lovemaking. They would have beaten themselves up over their indiscretions. Esme, for making the unthinkable comparison, no matter how brief. Carlisle, for not treating her with the care he had always fought to give her.

The tension between them would have lasted one day, maybe two, but as far as Alice was concerned, that was two days too many.

Now, Carlisle would tell Esme about his terrible storm of a day. He would speak, finally, of the old man he couldn't save, of the abused woman with the tiny baby who was treated and released into the hands of her abuser, of the fragile child who probably wouldn't survive another day. He would speak of his frustration and fatigue, of his anger and sadness.

Alice smiled as she started to run toward her school. Carlisle would find his comfort in Esme's sympathetic ear and unwavering compassion, and after, they would make love sweetly, all of their barriers down and rough edges long forgotten.

She slowed as she drew closer to school, aware now that people might be able to see her. She darted across the playing fields and around the side of the brick building.

She skidded to a halt when she saw him. Jasper was leaning against the wall, thick hair falling in his eyes as he stared at the ground. It had been several years since that day in Philadelphia, since that day when she had held out her hand and offered them both a new life. It still gave her a rush to see him, those days of searching fruitlessly for him still so clear in her perfect memory.

Alice allowed herself a moment to look ahead. Carlisle and Esme were wrapped around each other, joking and laughing in the comfortable aftermath of their lovemaking. It gave her comfort to see them happy, to see them laughing and in love and screwing up and getting it right.

She looked at the man in the distance, blonde hair framing the face she so loved, scars branching across every exposed inch of skin, hands waiting to touch her, feet waiting to follow her. When the rush wore off and the heady feelings faded a bit, she knew they would have that. They would have the laughter and love and the screw ups and ultimately, they would get it right.

The wind shifted and carried her scent toward Jasper. His head jerked up with a smile. "Where were you?"

Alice met his smile with her own as she crossed to him. "Esme and Carlisle needed my help."

He sighed happily as he always did when she got close enough to blanket him in her emotions. He held his hand out to her and she danced over, joining their hands familiarly. "You want to ditch school for the rest of the day? I was hoping you would hunt with me."

She reached up with thin fingers and pushed his hair away from darkened eyes. Alice smiled as she looked ahead. They would find a family of deer and at the end of the day, his eyes would be golden and smiling, delighting in their time alone together.

Alice tugged on his hand, starting for the nearby woods. A vision hit her as they walked. Esme would start planning a vacation for Carlisle. She would pull him out of the frustration and fatigue. She would help to rejuvenate him, allowing him to shed his burdens and revel in their time together.

Jasper's hand tightened on Alice's. "Are Esme and Carlisle all right?"

She smiled up at him, completely confident in her answer. "They're going to be just fine."

Note: Man, this one was tough.

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Jasper chapter will be up next week.

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- Brynna