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Summery – Esme's reaction to Bella jumping off the cliff in New Moon and Carlisle is there to talk to her about it and comfort her. – 2004

To Comfort a Loved One

By:

AngelBabs81 and potterfan2006

Carlisle had just returned home from taking care of some business. On days like today, he questioned himself on the things he did. Allowing himself to become the patriarch of a family of "vegetarian" vampires. His "family" was in turmoil. He entered the quiet house and took a deep breath and found Esme's scent. He entered the study to see her staring out the window of the drizzle day in Alaska. He was quiet as he took a seat near her.

Esme glanced away from the window for a minute to look at Carlisle, but said nothing. It was not until she looked back out the window that she spoke. "Hello, Carlisle," she said quietly.

"Hey, baby," he spoke in a low tone.

"How was your day?" she questioned still looking out the window.

"Long," Carlisle responded. "How about your day?"

Esme turned around fully facing away from the window and drew her legs up under her body. Leaning her head back to the window, she finally spoke, "The same as always, quiet." She sighed "It gave me a chance to think." She fell silent then.

Carlisle leaned back in his chair. "It is quiet, isn't it." He stated more than questioned.

"Alice called today," Esme sighed. "Bella's fine. Jacob managed to get to her before she drowned." Esme said.

"I'm glad to hear that," Carlisle stated. "We may have to thank Jacob for saving Bella."

"We should," Esme agreed. "But she should not have done it in the first place. Carlisle, it's our fault that she did what she did. Edward broke her heart and we all left," Esme said sounding ashamed. "We pushed Bella over that edge," she added bitterly. "I have been to that place in my mind and it was not a good place to be," she continued in a whisper.

Carlisle wrapped his arm around his wife and pulled her closer to him. His hand ran softly over the smooth contour on her arm and he rested his forehead against the top of her head. "We stayed with our family," Carlisle informed.

"But Bella is family to me. She is another daughter to me," she responded. "And history almost repeated itself, only it was my child and not me." Esme got up from the couch to stand next to the bookcase to pull out an old sketch book. Opening it she flipped through the pages until she found a picture of herself standing on a cliff looking sad, yet at peace at the same time.

Carlisle sighed as Esme left his embrace. He looked over at her and spoke softly, "but Edward is our family and Edward made his choice. Edward wanted to get away and I know he didn't want to leave Bella, but after what happened, he thought he had no other choice."

In an uncharacteristic fit of rage, she tossed to the book to the floor and then sank to her knees, putting her hands to her face. "Carlisle, yes it was Edwards's choice to run and we followed," she said. "But we should have stuck it out! She needed us and we ran away like the guilty do! We all made the wrong choice," she said slowly, pulling her hands away from her face and looking up at Carlisle with sad eyes.

Carlisle felt like someone had sucker-punched him. He made a decision that he thought was best for the family. Seeing Esme like she was hurt deeper than anything. "Esme," he spoke softly but didn't know what to say. How could he defend his family? Sure, he thought of Bella as family, but not like Edward. He knelt beside her and looked at her sorrow-filled eyes. "Esme, forgive me," he spoke in a gentle tone.

Esme just sat there on her knees looking at Carlisle and closed her eyes. Leaning into him, she breathed in his scent and felt calm settle into her body. "I forgive you," Esme spoke. "Will you forgive me for acting like I did?" she questioned, sighing heavily.

"You have every right to act like you did," Carlisle assured, bringing her closer to the comfort of his body. "I forget that you get attached more quickly than the rest of the family. I haven't considered the consequences of us leaving Bella and Forks behind." Brushing a hand over her cheek and around to her neck; the new position forcing her to meet his gaze, he spoke softly, "I love you, Esme."

"I love you, too, Carlisle," she said giving him a half smile.

"You wouldn't resist if I wanted to kiss you, would you?" Carlisle teased Esme as he moved closer to meet his lips with her lips.

Esme grinned into the kiss and said, "no, but I would kiss you back." And that is exactly what she did.

Carlisle touched his lips to her and the electricity was there as always. He pulled away after a long slow kiss and smiled. "We'll return to Forks."

"Thank you," was all she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head on his shoulder, cuddling him as much as she could with them still being on the floor.

The End