Chapter 18

Carlisle and Esme entered the house together and the rest of the family seemed to be waiting for them to arrive. As they walked through the back doors, everyone attempted to go back to what they were previously doing, though the façade was unsuccessful.

Edward stared at both of them with an overly hurt expression which almost made Esme lose it again. She and Carlisle both held their composure in front of the rest of their family despite the news they were both just given.

Bella was cuddled up against Edward's side and he held her there tightly. Jasper and Nicole had returned home, and Emmett stood with his arms folded next to William, who stood with a matching stance. Madison eyed the floor next to them.

Esme looked around at everyone and decided to rid the 'elephant in the room'. She managed a smile at Edward, then turned her eyes around toward the rest of them. "I imagine you've all been told about Masen," she started.

Emmett turned his eyes to the two of them for the first time since they walked in and took a few steps in their direction. She could see that his eyes were slightly red and his eyelashes were still damp. Even after he and Rosalie had William, Esme never saw Emmett cry. The look on his face was almost too much to bear, though she stood strong for the sake of the rest of the family.

"We're going to look at this from every angle," Esme went on, "Between all of us, we're bound to narrow it down to some good ideas."

"Rose went to Masen's," Emmett told her.

"And Alice went to Charlie's," Jasper added.

She nodded, "That was very thoughtful of them, and I'm sure it'll be of some help."

"Leah knows," Edward said, answering her next question. She switched her eyes to his and he shook his head slightly, then seemed to react to what someone else in the room was thinking.

Carlisle picked up on it and looked at him with wondering eyes. He squeezed the top of Esme's arm and excused himself from the room as she began to talk with Emmett and Jasper.

Edward lead him down the hall and Carlisle immediately asked him what he was thinking.

"I think we should consider all possibilities," Edward started, "William just thought to himself, 'what if we're not truly immortal?'"

Carlisle's eyes squinted, "You mean, like what if after a short period of time, they begin to die?" He continued with the thought, "Like a human dying of old age?"

"Where's Alexandra?" Esme's voice was suddenly urgent and Carlisle's attention was quickly in her direction until Bella answered almost immediately that she was at Renesme's with Michael, also adding that the four of them weren't given the information yet.

His moment of worry about his daughter descended and he returned his attention back to Edward.

"If you want my opinion," Edward told him, "I don't think that's the case. I believe it's something else. I could be wrong, but-"

"But, it's still a possibility," Carlisle said, "One I didn't consider before."

He looked at his father's face and thought that he was keeping himself together quite well upon getting the original news that something was gravely wrong with his first born son.

The two of them rejoined everyone else and Esme looked at Carlisle, very much wondering what he and Edward had discussed.

"I'll tell you in a minute," he whispered.

She nodded and looked around at everyone one more time.

"I think we should go see Alexandra first," Esme said to Carlisle.

"Whatever you want to do," Carlisle told her. He looked at Emmett, who appeared to be almost angry.

Esme walked by and gave him a gentle rub on the shoulder, then grabbed the car keys.

Carlisle gave Emmett a light pat on the chest as he walked by and gave similar gestures to Jasper and William, then backed up face Madison for a moment.

"Congratulations," he said to both of them.

They looked at each other with the same guilty, solemn expression, then said, "Thanks," at the same time.

Carlisle nodded and turned toward Edward and Bella once more, "Call me if something else happens."

"Okay," Edward told him.

He left the house after Esme without another word before the two of the hopped into his Mercedes and sped away toward Jacob and Renesme's house. Esme texted her daughter, asking her to stay there until they arrived.

Carlisle drove faster than he knew he should and arrived to their house in less than fifteen minutes. The two of them ran to the front door, where Jacob stood waiting.

"Come in," he said to them, apparently having already heard of Alice's vision by the look on his face.

"Thank you," Esme said, and Carlisle gave him a quick nod.

"What's wrong?" Alexandra asked them. She looked at Michael first, then Renesme and Jacob.

"We just wanted to talk to you about something," Esme told her, "It's about Masen. You know about the cough he's been having, right?"

"Yeah." She looked from her mother to her father.

"He may become very sick," Carlisle said.

"Alice?" Alexandra asked, "Did Alice have a vision?"

He nodded, "And Nicole. Between the two of them, we have a complete vision of what may happen."

Michael put an arm around her shoulders.

"Which is what?" she asked. Her voice got louder and full of concern.

"He just could get weaker if he's continually exposed to whatever is making him weak," Esme told her, "But if we can pinpoint what that is, we'll probably be able to help him." The look on her daughter's face was worse than the one Emmett had just worn in the kitchen, "Help him a lot," she added.

"What if you can't find what's making him weak?" Alexandra's voice was decorated with a mild version of panic. Renesme and Jacob linked up and stood listening to the details.

"Alice has only seen him a little weaker than he is now," Carlisle told her, trying to keep it light without being dishonest.

"We just want to come talk to you first before you heard it from anyone else," Esme told her.

Alexandra looked around the room at her friends, then to Michael, who's back she was squeezing so hard, she knew it had to hurt, though he didn't flinch. She released him and took in a deep breath, "Is he going to be okay?"

"We think so," Esme nodded, struggling not to cry, though playing off a calm demeanor well enough to keep her daughter calm.

"We're going over to see him," Carlisle told her.

"He's at work," Jacob informed them.

Their eyes shot in his direction, "Is he on with Charlie?" Esme asked.

"I'm not sure." He removed his phone from his pocket, played around with the buttons and hung it up after about thirty seconds, "Voicemail."

"Wasn't Alice going down to see Charlie?" Esme asked, "And Rosalie was going down to Masen's."

They all stood silently for a minute before Renesme walked over and hugged Esme. At the same time Alexandra did the same to Carlisle.

"Do you think you could somehow find out what your brother needs?" Carlisle asked her.

She raised her eyes, "Yes. Yes I'll find out what he needs. Then we can help him. Yes." Her voice was so enthusiastic that it made everyone seem hopeful for a moment. Carlisle and Esme exchanged glanced and she was able to give him the tiniest genuine smile that accompanied a small amount of hope in her eyes.