A/N: Oh yeah, I'm good, I'm good does a victory dance and slips on the strap of her backpack OW! Victory hurts!

So this is yet another awesome chapter from yours truly. That would be three now, since I posted that awfully unfair author's note. Have I made it up to you yet?

So since you guys know the plot of New Moon, I guess what's coming soon is kinda obvious. But if you can't guess (really???) then I'm not going to just tell you. Just know that there may or may not be one more chapter before that crazy one where the Cullens hit rock bottom. I haven't really decided yet. I have to just write and see where the proper break is.

I hope you like this chapter, don't forget to Review for me, and if you haven't been to my site to vote, there is a really important poll for all you fabulous Rising Sun readers. It's super important (just to tell you right now, I'm not giving you guys the chance to vote on what will happen next, it's something else). I need all your feedback. So Review and then Vote!

Happy Reading!

-Wish

Chapter 48: Picking up the Pieces

The phone rang once, twice, three times, before I finally heard a click. "Hello?"

"Emmett, it's Carlisle," I said.

"Yeah, I know," Emmett replied. "They invented Caller ID this century, remember?"

"Yeah, Emmett," I chuckled. It seems so long since Emmett had made a joke about my real age. "How are you and Rosalie?"

"We're doin' good," he said. "Rose and I are in Paris now. You're old town."

"Right," I agreed. "But I doubt I'd recognize it now."

"Got that right. I don't recognize it from twenty years ago. So what's happening at back there in the States?"

"Alice and Jasper are in Mississippi, looking for information on Alice's past. Edward hasn't called or anything yet, so we're not sure where he is. Esme and I just got back from visiting the island for New Year's."

"So you and Esme had a little, uh…fun, down there?" Emmett's innuendo was obvious, even through the crackly cell phone line.

"I don't believe that's any of your business, Emmett," I replied.

"Good. Believe me, I don't want to know. So is there a specific reason you're calling, or are you just checking up on us like a good parent?"

I hesitated. A parent? After everything, did Emmett really still think of me like a father? I knew he loved Esme as a mother-figure and that nothing could change that, but I'd really messed things up here. Could he really forgive me for all that?

"Carlisle? You still there?"

"Yes," I replied quickly. "I'm actually calling because of Esme."

Emmett's reaction was immediate and intense. "Oh my God, did something happen? Is she okay? If it had anything to do with us we'll—"

"Calm down, Emmett," I interrupted him. "She's alright. I promise. But she misses you and Rose. Is there any possibility you might come back? She could really use the both of you home right now, especially with Alice and Jasper down south and Edward elsewhere." The fact that we had no way of knowing where he was worried me, possibly more than it worried Esme. Edward was my first companion. That fact alone made him special to me, almost as much as Esme was.

There was now silence on Emmett's side of the line, but I knew he was still there. I could hear Emmett's and Rosalie's faint voices in the background, though I couldn't understand what they were saying to each other. I had a feeling, though, that it was about my request. I waited patiently for them to sort things through on their side. I felt bad asking them to come back like this. I wasn't one to tell my children what they could or could not do. They were all adults, in mental age if not in physical age.

There was some shuffling on Emmett's end and then it was Rosalie's voice in my ear, rather than Emmett's.

"Carlisle?"

"Rose."

"How bad is it?" she asked simply. I knew what she meant though. She was asking about all of us, Esme, Edward, Alice, Jasper, and even me.

"It's just Esme and I still here," I told her. "Esme misses all of you. Rose, she really needs you. You know how she is. She needs us to be together, but right now, we're spread apart around the world. It's hurting her, pulling her apart. I can't stand to see her like this any longer. Please, I need to fix this. I need to start picking up the pieces."

"Is Edward still there?"

"No. He's been gone for months now. He hasn't checked in once since leaving, not even on Christmas."

"And Alice and Jasper?"

"They should be returning in a few weeks, but I can't be sure. They went to Biloxi, to find information on Alice's past."

Rosalie was quiet for a moment, before speaking again. "And what about you, Carlisle? What are you doing?"

"I've cut back my hours at the hospital to be at home with Esme more. I would not teach the class, but I've made a commitment to Cornell already for another semester. I'll see it through, and that will be the end of it."

Rosalie sighed, resigned. "Alright. We'll be back by the end of the week. But know, I'm only doing this for Esme."

"I understand, Rosalie. That's perfectly acceptable." I worked to keep my voice level and calm, but inside I was shouting for joy. 'They're coming home! Esme will be so happy! And I can finally start fixing things.'

Emmett came back on. "Hey, Pops. So I guess I'll text you or call you with the flight info when we've got one. See you at the end of the week?"

"We'll meet you at the airport," I promised him.

"Alright. See ya later."

Esme kept asking a hundred questions as we drove along the highway into JFK. I hadn't told her about Emmett and Rosalie. I hadn't even told her where we were going, only that we were going into the city.

"Carlisle, please tell me," she requested yet again.

"I can't," I insisted. "It's a surprise. But trust me; you're going to like it."

"I thought you never kept secrets from me?"

"I don't," I replied. "Except for this once. But what good would a surprise be if you knew what it was before it happened?"

Esme sighed and turned back to the window. We were in the Jeep, driving towards the airport. I didn't think it'd be a good idea to pick up Rosalie in her BMW. She'd probably yell at me for taking it out of the garage without her permission, and then insist on driving home. I didn't want to start their arrival back on a sour note.

As I pulled off the highway, Esme looked at the exit sign. "John F. Kennedy International Airport," she read, before turning back to me. "Please don't tell me we are going on yet another vacation. Isn't one enough for the month?"

"For you, no," I replied, smiling. "But no, we aren't going on another trip."

"But then why are we—"I saw the recognition dawn on her angelic face. "We aren't going somewhere, we're meeting someone! Who is it, Carlisle? Is it Edward? Rosalie? Alice? B—"she cut herself off, but I could fill in the gap. Bella. She still hoped for Bella. Her face fell a little as she thought of her lost daughter. I scrambled to take her mind away from Bella and back to the surprise.

"You'll just have to see who comes out," I told her. It was like a game show. Which vampire was behind door number three?

I parked the Jeep in the designated parking lot and Esme and I walked towards Arrivals. It was hard, keeping her at a normal, human pace when both of us wanted so much to dash inside at our speed. But we walked carefully, making a conscious effort to stay with the crowd. I was glad we'd hunted the day before yesterday, because the airport was extremely busy that day. The human scents pressed in on us from all sides and tested our willpower, even though we weren't thirsty. I hoped Rosalie and Emmett had had the sense to feed before getting on the plane. Even I was having a harder time than usual, and I worked as a surgeon.

I checked the Arrival board for Rosalie and Emmett's flight. It was on time. The board said it was disembarking now. They'd have to go down to Baggage Claim. We could meet them there. I pulled Esme in the direction of the Baggage Claim and I heard her give a short gasp of anticipation.

"Can you tell me where they're coming from?" she asked.

"No," I replied. "That would give it away. But they'll be down soon. You need not worry much longer."

Esme sighed, exasperated, and I laughed, pulling her into my arms and kissing her beautiful hair. I was just as excited as she was, but as always, I tried to radiate calm. It must be hard enough for her, having to deal with the smell of thousands of humans, and then also having to keep her own anticipation in check. She didn't need mine.

"Patience," I whispered in her ear, almost teasing. I was enjoying watching her excitement. It hadn't been a very often occurrence since we'd moved to Ithaca.

"I really can't stand the suspense," she told me, turning her head back. "Please take pity on me?"

"You'd hate me if I did." Esme never wanted my or anyone else's pity. It was something I admired about her.

"I could never hate you. Not even if I wanted to."

I smiled down at her and laughed. "No, I guess I couldn't either," I agreed. We glanced up as two familiar, sweet scents drifted over the crowd. I could see Rosalie and Emmett coming down the escalator. Rosalie had her purse in hand and Emmett carried a backpack over his shoulder. They hadn't spotted us yet. Rosalie was turned around halfway to talk to Emmett on the step behind her.

I knew exactly when Esme saw them because her body tensed and she almost leapt out of my hands.

"Rosalie! Emmett!" she exclaimed, though her voice was lost in the crowd.

Both their heads snapped up in our direction. Rosalie smiled and nodded. Emmett, a bit less subtly, waved both hands over his head, a huge grin splashed across his face.

"Come on, Carlisle," Esme urged me, taking my arm and pulling me behind her as she weaved through the people towards the escalator. Rosalie and Emmett climbed down the last few steps and met Esme at the bottom. She pulled both of them into a hug, on her face a look of utter bliss.

"Esme," Rosalie greeted her, a smile on her face. Esme pulled her into a single hug as I turned to Emmett, who was now free.

"Hey Pops," he said, clapping me on the back.

"I'm glad you decided to come home," I told him. Then in a low whisper, barely audible to the two of us over the din, "This means a lot to Esme. Thank you."

"Anything for you two," he replied before turning to Esme, who was finished with Rosalie, for now.

Rosalie stiffened slightly as she turned to me.

"Thank you, Rose," I said. "It's good to see you."

"You too, Carlisle," she replied curtly. She gave me an awkward nod, choosing not to be as physical as Emmett. Rosalie was still partly angry at me. She hadn't wanted to leave Forks, and she blamed me for what happened to the family because of it. Well, me and Edward.

We gathered up Emmett and Rosalie's checked bags before returning to the Jeep. Emmett was ecstatic to see his car and requested to drive it back. I obliged, taking the passenger's seat and giving Rosalie and Esme the back seats. Emmett wanted to ride home with the top down, but I was able to persuade him against it. Driving with the top down, in a Jeep, when it was below thirty degrees outside was not the best idea when we wanted to be inconspicuous.

We arrived back at the house and Rosalie and Emmett unpacked their bags. To Esme and I, the house felt like home, but Emmett and Rosalie seemed unsure in it. They hadn't stuck around long enough after the move to really consider this house in Ithaca home. Also, Esme had done a lot of renovations since the last time they were there.

"The house looks lovely, Esme," Rosalie commented.

"Yeah, you really did an awesome job," Emmett agreed.

"Thank you," Esme replied. "I'm working on the exterior now. Most of the inside is done."

"Maybe we can help you with that," Emmett suggested.

Esme smiled at him, "I'd like that. Here, I'll show you what I had in mind."

Emmett and Rosalie followed Esme outside and around the side of the house, leaving me alone in the living room. I climbed the stairs, taking them at human speed, gathering my thoughts. It was excellent that Rosalie and Emmett had agreed to return. This would be the first step in reforming the family. Next to work on were Alice and Jasper. I'd focus on them before even trying Edward. He would be the hardest. I had the greatest risk of losing him for sure. But slowly, we were reconnecting the pieces of the Cullen family. Slowly, the puzzle was being reformed.

'But will I have all the pieces?' I wondered. Because it wasn't just Edward that we were missing. The time here, in Ithaca had proved something to me. Bella, although she was human, was a member of our family. We were incomplete without her. Seeing the family now, away from Forks and Bella, I could understand that. So although the family was slowly reforming, I wondered if it would ever be complete again. I wondered if it could be complete again, and what it would take, to gather up all the pieces.