Chapter 84

Carlisle's shift was ending at the hospital. It was nearly four o'clock in the morning and he was finally able to check his phone, sure Esme had called. When he saw the only message on his phone was a text from Alice, he snapped it shut in disappointment. He still wasn't sure why his wife was this upset at him, but he knew he had to make it right.

"Dr. Cullen," a woman entered to where he was gathering his things together. It was a nurse he'd been working with when he had first arrived at the hospital eight hours before. The two of them had worked hard to save a man's life that was in a horrific car accident.

"Yes Valerie?" he asked.

"I just wanted to let you know that Louis Grove, the man you stablized earlier, his vitals look good and he's been able to talk a little with me, and some of his family members. I think he's going to be fine."

Carlisle nodded, "That's good to hear," he said with a smile, "Is there any reason for me to check on him before I go?"

She shook her head, "No. He should be fine."

He nodded again, "I'll check on him again tomorrow when I come back. Or I guess later today when I come back."

Valerie laughed, probably a little more than necessary, before clearing her throat. "Well, I just wanted to give you that information."

"Thanks again. Thank you for helping save him."

She blushed heavily at the compliment, "Oh, well. I didn't really do much-"

"You did," he said, "You're a good nurse."

"Thanks," she giggled, not wanting to leave, but waved shyly and headed back to another patient's room.

Carlisle removed his doctor coat and threw on his unnecessary winter jacket and scarf, before making his way toward the front doors where he parked his car.

"Be careful out there Carlisle," another doctor said as he passed, "The roads are really slick. They're getting bad."

"Thanks, Tom. I will," he said, patting his co-worker on the back, "You do the same."

"I just got in. Hoping it'll pass before I leave this afternoon."

"Is it suppose to taper off?"

Tom shrugged, "They never can tell you for sure, can they. I'd love to be a weatherman. You can be wrong all the time and not lose your job."

Carlisle laughed and waved goodbye as he headed out the door. He fiddled for his keys in his pocket as he approached his car, dropping them on the ground in his rush to remove them. He bent down to grab them, and when he stood back up, Esme was standing in front of the driver's side door. Her arms were folded across her body, though a small smile hung on her face despite her attempts to make it go away.

He gave her a closed mouth smile and leaned on the car with one hand, "Are you still mad at me?"

"Hmm..." she said, thinking and looking around.

Carlisle admired his wife, taking a still frame of her in his mind. Snow fell around her, giving her the image of some sort of winter goddess. Her all black attire was intimidatingly casual, just a simple pair of yoga pants, topped off with a charcoal colored thermal and a black bubble vest that she left unbuttoned, but the way she wore her hair down that framed her flawless ivory complexion, was enough to leave any man speechless - including Carlisle.

"Well?" he asked, eager to hear her answer. His attempts to keep her gaze on his were successful this time, as they hadn't been eight hours ago. Because of this, he knew she couldn't be too angry with him.

Esme's eyes locked on golden orbs of her husband's that stared back at her with a warmth she only got from him, "I suppose I overreacted earlier," she admitted, letting her body loosen a bit from the tense position she had been standing in.

Carlisle couldn't help but smile a bit, glad that this was surely the end of their spat. "I was a little nervous when you hadn't called me," he told her, "I thought for sure you were still mad."

She shrugged, "I figured coming down here to meet you would be better than a call. Besides," she said, "You were working. I don't like to disturb you when you're at work."

Carlisle reached out to grab her hand, and pulled her slightly closer to him, "Esme, I just want you to know, that your opinion matters a lot to me. It matters to me more than my own. I hope you know that, because I feel like that's what you were doubting before. As far as everything goes with Aro, I'll be the first to admit that I was wrong. I didn't think he would do anything to the magnitude that Alice described, but now we know that's not an option, and we'll make other arrangements."

"I wouldn't normally react so sensitively," she explained, "I just think the whole Volturi situation has been weighing on me since Carmen and Eleazar's visit. I can't bare the thoughts of losing any one of us. I have different feelings about it this time, in the pit of my stomach. I don't think they'll back down."

"Whatever happens," he said, "We'll stand together, like last time. We'll have the numbers, and we have Masen's added gift in case something does go wrong."

Esme brushed her hair back, "I know he's more than an asset in that sense, but having him doesn't make me feel more content, it makes me more anxious," she let out a long sigh, and looked at him, "I feel like I was given this second chance at motherhood. I felt the pain of losing a child a long, long time ago. I can't bear the thought of it again. Especially now, Carlisle, that things are perfect this time around. Masen has two parents who love him unconditionally. You and me, we did what everyone thought was impossible. I must sound like a broken record, but these thoughts of losing both of you have haunted me more over the past year than ever before."

Carlisle pulled her to him and she leaned into the warmth of his chest, sharing a long hug in the half empty parking lot. "Let's just go home," he told her, "We can enjoy some time with everyone, put it out of your mind for a little while. We need to prepare, and we will, but Alice hasn't seen them coming in the near future just yet."

"They will," she said with an assuring nod, "And it's going to be different, Carlisle. I can feel it."

He trusted her instincts, but wanted desperately for her to get sidetracked from them for the time being. He knew how heavily thoughts and feelings could weigh on a person's mind.

"Esme," he said, tracing her face with his fingers.

She backed away a step to look him in the eyes again, "Carlisle, I'm sorry I got some angry before. I know you want what's best for all of us and that's why you were going to confront Aro. Neither of us knew what his intentions were. It was selfish of me to tell you to stay."

Carlsle shook his head, "It wasn't selfish at all. You're honest with me, you gave me the right advice. I should have listened to you."

She shook her head and was about to speak, but he put a finger up to her lips with a reassuring smile, "Isn't this what most wives would want? Their husband telling them they're right after an arguement?"

Esme couldn't help but let out a quick laugh, "I'm not most wives, Carlisle."

"No, you're not," he asked her with his eyes to come give him a kiss.

She leaned over and landed her lips solidly on his. Neither of them closed their eyes, and Carlisle winked causing Esme to laugh and kiss him once more before heading toward the passenger's seat of his car.

Two young women just arriving for their shift exited a car a few rows down, as Carlisle and Esme jumped into the Volvo.

"Do you hear them?" she asked with a laugh. Carlisle started the car and listened closer.

"He's so handsome," one girl gushed, "Was that his wife or his girlfriend?"

"He's married, so I hope it was his wife," the other said with a giggle, "What an attractive couple."

"Too bad. What's the deal with his nephew or whatever?"

Carlisle and Esme looked at each other, each with a big smile on their face.

"I think it's name is Emmett?"

"Yeah. He's hot. Is he taken?"

"Ask him."

The two of them entered through the hospital doors, completely unaware that Carlisle and Esme could hear every word of their whispery conversation.

"Should I be jealous?" Esme teased.

Carlisle smiled, glad she seemed in better spirits, "You don't even have to ask," he leaned in and kissed her, letting her mouth control his. He could tell from the way she didn't stop and from the few light whimpers she let out, that her emotional status was still fragile and edgy. "I love you, Esme," he said letting a hand linger on her face, "Let's go home. I'm sure being around everyone will make you feel better."

She nodded in agreement, and Carlisle held her hand in his as they drove back to their house.