Chapter Three: Betrothals and Proposals

DISCLAIMER: Don't own Twilight, am not Stephanie Meyer, you know, the usual.

ESME POV Warsaw, Poland

EIGHT MONTHS LATER

I hurry through the streets, towards the small little apartment that I've come to love. The bell tower chimes six times. 6:00. I open the door and am immediately wrapped in his embrace.

"You're late."

"Just one minute, love. It doesn't make a difference."

"It does to me. It only takes one second to be taken away."

"I'm sorry, darling." Carlisle smiles as he lowers his lips to mine, and pulls me closer as our kiss deepens. We have been seeing each other for seven and a half months, our relationship full of brief meetings, stolen seconds, and breathy kisses. My family has been moved to a ghetto with the other Jewish citizens of Warsaw. My ring tangles in his platinum blonde mess and he pulls away.

"What is that?" His blue eyes bore into mine, and I sigh.

"Today I was officially betrothed to Charles Evenson."

"That bastard! He has no right to you!"

"He has more than you do. My father's in love with him."

"But you're not."

"No, I'm just in love with my mortal enemy."

"You make it sound so bad, love… but that's not the point. You cannot marry him, Esme. He'll kill you!"

"I am aware of that." I pull off my winter coat to reveal the newest scar on my arm. A long burn mark is scalded into my skin.

"My love…" Carlisle takes my arm into his hands and sits me down on his couch. He fetches me a cloth full of ice and places it on my burn. He sits next to me, but I can't stand the lack of contact. I wriggle onto his lap and he lets out a soft moan.

"Carlisle… we had an agreement…" His lips trail down my neck and he sucks on the sweet place where my neck meets my shoulder. I moan gently. This isn't fair.

"Carlisle…" We have agreed that we will wait until we have been together at least one year. However, it's nights like these that push our limits. A now seventeen-year-old girl is not equipped to stand her ground against the desires of a twenty-four-year-old man.

"Marry me," he breathes into my ear, sliding around so he is facing me. I gasp as he pulls an emerald necklace out of his pocket.

"For now… I didn't want you to get in trouble by getting you a ring."

"Carlisle… it's beautiful."

"Just like you."

CARLISLE POV

I watch her face light up with joy, and then she throws herself on me, her burn long forgotten. As we kiss, I lift her up into my arms and carry her into my bedroom. Without words she gives me permission. I picture this moment as if we were in Germany. My seventeen-year-old fiancée would be considered a woman, rather than the child she will be for another six months here. What we are about to do would not be illegal in my home country. Just picture Germany, I tell myself as I lay her down on my bed.

"Carlisle…" Esme breathes.

"Yes, darling?"

"I love you."

"I love you too," I whisper as we fade into our blissful piece of darkness.

A/N: Well, what do you think? Never knew Carlisle could be such a rule breaker, huh? Reviews are amazing, just like Carlisle's kisses!