Chapter 96

The mood at the house was happy, and most of the vampires that had helped the Cullens were eager to get back to their own homes. There were a countless number of "thank you's" and many terms of sincere endearment as they parted ways.

"Next year, we'll get together again.. only for better reasons," Garrett told them, as Kate had days earlier.

"It'd be our pleasure," Carlisle told him, "And good luck with having a child of your own."

Kate smiled, "Thank you. I hope we'll have good news for you one day."

Garrett put an arm around her, "Any plans for more for the two of you?"

They looked at each other, "Some day," Esme said with a smile, "But I'd like to see Rosalie and Emmett go down that road first. And Alice and Jasper." Carlisle nodded in agreeance.

"Give them our best," Kate said.

"We will."

The two of them said their goodbyes and vanished, being the last two to leave.

Carlisle closed the door and turned to find Esme throw her hands to the door around him. He smiled, leaning back against it and took her face in his hands, landing a kiss on her lips. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she said, "Well, for the most part. Still a little edgy."

"It'll die down," he said, smiling blissfully at her.

"We should be okay now, right?"

He nodded, brushing a few strands of hair away from her face, "I believe so."

Esme smiled, suddenly loving the way he was looking at her, like he saw nothing else in the room.

"You're so beautiful," he told her, "I wouldn't last a day in this life without you."

She rested her head on his shoulder, letting her breaths trickle down his neck.

Carlisle slid his hand up the back of her shirt and rubbed her back gently. He closed his eyes, still leaning up against the front door, soaking in his wife's desirable scent, appreciating her more than he felt he ever had in all of their years together. She sighed at his touch let her arms drape around his waist.

Alice entered the room, with Jasper close behind and snapped a quick picture of the two of them.

"Alice," Carlisle began to protest against her picture snapping with a subtle smile.

"Come on, you were just so lost in the moment. It was too cute to pass up," she explained, pulling Jasper into a self dual portrait of the both of them.

Esme snickered and pulled Carlisle to the couch with her, tossing a blanket over the two of them as she laid up against him with her eyes closed. He flipped through the television stations, keeping his free hand on her back, continuing to long for the feel on her skin against his finger tips. She unbuttoned his shirt and cuddled against the bare part of his chest with a low sigh.

Carlisle gave up in his attempt to find something decent on the television and he let the remote drop to the ground. Esme looked up at him to find him staring at her with the same look as before. It made her feel special and loved when he looked at her that way.

Edward stood on the second floor, looking down at his parents, not knowing he'd formed a closed mouth smile on his face. Bella slid in behind him and he quickly took her under his arm and kissed her forehead.

"You know," he said, "None of us would be here without them."

Bella nodded, "I know."

"I mean he really is the founder of vampires like us. I can't imagine anyone else over the course of time could have possessed the love and control and simple good will that Carlisle has. He's kept us all from being monsters."

"We're lucky to have him and Esme."

Edward didn't want to eavedrop, but couldn't help overhearing their conversation. Bella listened with him.

"I don't appreciate you enough," Esme whispered to him, drawing a laugh from Carlisle. "I'm serious," she went on, "I don't ever tell you how lucky we all are that you work down at the hospital, or how great it is that you're able to save the lives that you do down there."

"Stop," he said, letting his arms settle around her.

"I don't, Carlisle."

"Do you even know how much you changed my life, Esme? Without you, we wouldn't have any of this. I probably would have given up this life a long time ago."

"Things don't balance out," she said, shaking her head, gripping his open shirt.

"What do you mean?"

"You do so much for me. What I do for you doesn't even come close."

Carlisle laughed again, "Esme, you do everything and more just by being here next to me. You gave us both a beautiful child. If anything doesn't balance out, it's the other way around."

She still had a solumn expression on her face.

"Do I make you feel that way?" he asked.

Esme picked her head up to look at him, "No. No, not at all."

"Honestly?"

She nodded, "Of course not Carlisle. I can't even express how wonderful you make me feel."

"Well," he went on, "You should know that the feeling is mutual. You're like a dream come true for me, Esme."

She rested her head back onto his chest and he stroked her hair.

"Just know how much I love and appreciate you," Esme whispered.

"I know," he assured her, "You show it every time you look at me."

She kissed him just below his earlobe and made her way down his neck to the top of his chest. Carlisle let out a light moan, "And when you do that," he laughed.

Esme finally snapped out of her moment of saddness and snickered.

Carlisle cuddled her closer to him and kissed her forehead, "Let's go upstairs."

She looked up toward him with a grin, "Everyone's here."

"Not for that," he told her, smiling back, "I thought we could just lay together for awhile. More room."

"Okay," Esme stood up first and pulled Carlisle to his feet. He quickly threw an arm around her and the two of them passed Bella and Edward.

"How are you two doing?" Carlisle asked.

"Good," they said at the same time.

"What about Nessy?" Esme asked.

"She's fine," Edward rolled his eyes, "With Jacob."

They both smiled and headed into their room. Carlisle tossed his shirt and shoes to the side before sliding under the covers. "Come here," he smiled, calling for his wife. She finished an extra second's worth of chit chat with Edward before closing the door at the sound of his and Bella's laughter.

Esme quickly tucked herself in beside him and nuzzled into the warmth of his body so she was facing him. He pulled her legs so they were entwined with his and gave her a few soft kisses before closing his eyes. They heard Masen enter through the door downstairs.

"Should we ask?" Esme said, looking at her husband.

"Later," he told her with a grin, closing his eyes and pulling her as close to him as possible.

"You're not worried, you know, about what Edward said?"

She felt his vibrating laughter again as it passed through his chest and it make her smile. "I think we should let Sue worry about this one."

Esme returned a laugh, "Oh, she and Charlie want to get together. I talked to her right after we got back. I sort of downplayed what happened."

"Charlie..." Carlisle's laughter hung in his voice.

"Oh, it'll be fine," she assured him, "Sue said he thought the situation was funny."

He sighed, "I guess we'll have to face him eventually."

"Hey I think a little embaressment with Charlie is better than facing the Volturi."

"I suppose so," he tickled her side and she twitched fiercely with a heavy laugh.

"Stop!" she cried out, unable to control her laughter. He continued to tickle her until she was finally able to get out of his grasp, pinning his arms above his head on the bed.

"You win," he told her, locking his legs on the backs of hers.

Esme leaned her face down and kissed him several times, each one accompanied by a smile.

"I love you," Carlisle whispered in her ear.

"I love you, too," she said back.