Chapter 43
"I'm sorry," Leah apologized to Carlisle.
He smiled, finishing up checking her vital signs, "You have nothing to apologize for."
"I'm putting all of you through stress... again."
Carlisle continued to smile and threw his stethoscope around his neck, "You're not putting us through stress, Leah."
"Masen's a wreck. You have to take time out of your schedule to babysit me. I know Esme's worried, but she's too kind to show it in front of me."
"I don't think you need a babysitter," he laughed, "I'm just making sure you're feeling okay. And I assure you, truthfully, that it's not a burden. I've spent twenty hour shifts down at the hospital because I love my work. You're family."
"Thanks," she said, looking down.
Carlisle stood up, "We'll do an ultrasound soon. Later today or tomorrow, whenever it's convenient for you."
"Alright," she nodded, placing a hand over her stomach, "Do you think it'll be okay?"
"Yes," he said almost immediately, "Just stay calm. Don't overstress yourself, and don't phase, only because I'm unsure of what would happen if you did. Maybe nothing. Maybe something. I fear testing the theory."
"Okay," she continued to alternate between forced smiles and slight frowns.
"How are you feeling overall?"
"I feel okay," she told him with a shrug.
"Just okay?"
"Normal."
Carlisle nodded, wondering if the fetus was beginning to drink Leah's blood. He had no idea if it craved human blood, animal blood or human food... or both blood and food like Renesme. Remembering how quickly Renesme fed off of Bella's blood while inside the womb gave him the chills, though Leah still appeared strong and healthy.
The two of them headed down the hall, meeting Esme and Masen partway.
"She's okay?" Masen asked his father, looking at Leah.
"Yeah," Carlisle told him, "Like I said, we'll continue to monitor the situation as it progresses. I'd like to do an ultrasound tonight or tomorrow."
Leah looked at Masen as he agreed. Esme exchanged glances between the three of them.
"Should we do the ultrasound now?" Masen asked.
"Enjoy a little of the day. I have to set things up," Carlisle told them. He looked just over Esme's shoulder at a clock in the family room, "Come back around eight, if you don't otherwise have plans."
"That sounds good to us," Leah answered.
"Have you talked to Seth?" Esme asked her.
She nodded, "They seem to be fine. I don't think the rest of the Volturi are as, I can't believe I'm going to use this word but, warm as Aro has been. But he said he doesn't particularly feel threatened. We lied to my mom about where he is."
Esme's eyes widened a little, "You didn't tell her?"
"She's had enough on her plate dealing with me," Leah said, "She'd probably catch the first flight over to Italy if she knew. And Charlie would never let her go alone, so that would put him in immediate danger."
"Yeah," Masen agreed, "So don't say anything."
Esme and Carlisle looked at each other and didn't say anything in response, though Masen assumed that meant they would keep quiet.
"I'm going down the hall," Carlisle told them. He patted Masen on the back, "See you tonight."
"Okay," he said, "Thanks Dad."
"You're welcome," he said, turning to walk away.
Esme put a hand on Masen and Leah's backs and escorted them downstairs, "Can I make you something to eat, Leah?"
She shook her head, "Masen just cooked me breakfast before we came. Thank you though."
"Anytime, honey," Esme said, "Masen, make sure you're driving Leah around. Don't make her walk for miles and miles through the woods."
"I know," he said, dangling his keys in front her.
Esme smiled and gave each of them a hug before they disappeared into the warm, overcast late September morning.
Alice skipped into the living room with a small box full of Halloween decorations.
"Halloween already?" Esme asked.
"Mmm-hmm," she said with a smile, "And in a couple of weeks we'll get pumpkins. Rose is about to make some cider, too, for when Leah comes back. And I think Jake and Nessy might be coming by too."
"I do enjoy the fall," Esme told her.
"Me too." She took out few window stickers and scattered them on the front windows of the living room.
Esme decided to keep her mind occupied and helped Alice with the task of decorating the downstairs.
Upstairs, Carlisle sat in his office in front of the computer. He knew it was basically pointless, but he began to research vampire-werewolf hybrid children. Legends and myths decorated the google search, all lending him different details on what could be expected. His eyes rapidly scanned the screen over website after website.
Images popped up that would have made his hair stand on end, though he knew that had he similarly typed in the word 'vampire', similar nightmarish photos would have appeared, so he didn't take the fake pictures into account.
He quickly stood up and scanned the bookcases around the room. Years and years ago he'd bought several books with information regarding the Quileute tribe and their legends. After discovering their truths, and immediately after the treaty had gone into effect, Carlisle had become instantly fascinated with their culture. It had secretly displeased him more than he had let off that the two beings could not live side by side, that being vampires and shapshifters. As far as he had always been concerned, there was never a problem.
His hands traced over the bindings until a lightbulb went on in his head and he remembered where he'd stashed the books to begin with. He slid out a stack of three and placed them on his desk before taking a seat again and flipping the first one open.
Carlisle read the entire book, cover to cover and there was not one mention of a hybrid child. Vampires, in general, were only referred to once or twice in short context as 'the cold ones', thought held no true significance to the book.
His mind drifted back to the images of the hybrid children as envisioned by whoever had created the pictures that appeared in Google. He shook his head to himself and was tackled the next book in the stack.
Again, there was nothing; not one bit of information regarding the recordings or possibilities of vampire-werewolf children.
Carlisle let a long sigh leave his mouth and he leaned forward in a slumped position with his hand under his chin. He stared across at the picture of him with the Volturi before he shut his eyes.
"Dad," Alexandra's voice echoed through the room.
He sat up straight and looked at her, caught off guard, "Hey kiddo."
She smiled at the term of endearment he'd used in reference to her so often, "What's wrong?"
Carlisle grinned, "Just thinking," he held up the book, "And reading."
"What are you reading?" she asked him.
"It's just a book on Leah and Seth's tribe. I was scanning through it."
Alexandra nodded, "Sounds interesting."
"It is," he confirmed.
She looked at the book that he now had placed beneath his hand on the desk, "Could I borrow it?"
Carlisle walked over and handed it to her, "Sure. You can take whatever you want from in here to read. Any time you want."
"Thanks," she said sincerely, then added, "You seemed a little stressed out when I walked in."
He laughed and gave her a hug.
Alexandra wrapped her arms around her father, "You need to stop thinking so much." She pulled away and wandered back out through the door, "Thanks for the book."
"You're welcome," he said.
As she rounded into the hallway, a thought crossed her mind and she repeated her own words to herself, you need to stop thinking so much. In the back of her mind, she knew it was true. Both of her parents were driving themselves crazy with worry, especially over her and Masen.
Alexandra looked back to where he mother had moved on to folding clothes in the bedroom. Carlisle still sat thoughtfully at his desk. She smiled to herself and walked downstairs.
When Carlisle left his office, some ten minutes later, he noticed Esme sitting on the edge of the bed with just a small pile of clothes still left to put away. She was flipping through the stations on the television.
He plopped down on the middle of the bed with his head on the pillow thinking how overly comfortable it felt. The small stack of t-shirts Esme had folded collapsed onto his leg and she turned and made a face that caused him to smile.
"Sorry," he said.
She shrugged and laid down next to him, still flipping through the stations. Carlisle suddenly felt his eyes feel heavy and recognized Esme's unnaturally steady breathing beside him. Before he could let a word out to speak to her, he felt his eyes shut slowly and he fell asleep.