Chapter Seventy Two

Esme

I had seen how Peter managed to get through to the little girl where neither I nor Carmen could so it came as no surprise when Peter and Charlotte asked to speak to us only to say they wanted the opportunity to bring Kat up themselves.

"Well it's not for us to say Peter, Kat isn't our responsibility, we are just trying to help her until we can trace her family. Darius is attempting to do that right now."

"Yeah, but what if he doesn't? What if there is no family? Then what happens to her?"

"Well, I suppose the human authorities will be willing to take her and find a family who would be prepared to foster her."

"So why not us? Look Carlisle I know you and I haven't always seen eye to eye but Kat trusts me, surely that means something?"

"Of course it does Peter but I have to tell you the same as I told Rose who has already mentioned wanting to adopt the baby. The Volturi are very strict about children. You know what happened with the Immortal children, both children and parents were executed as law breakers."

"But Kat isn't an immortal child is she? She's a human child, badly traumatized and she has attached herself to me. I mean we're, talking about bringing her up, not changing her. If she wants to stay with us once she's old enough then it will be her choice."

"And you think you can hide your true nature from her until then?"

"Yes, if it's necessary I will. I won't let the human authorities take Kat if she doesn't want to go and don't you find it odd that Darius hasn't found a single lead so far?"

"How did you know that?"

"Well has he?"

"No, in fairness he hasn't but that doesn't mean that he won't and with the best will in the world you aren't exactly the best role model for an impressionable child."

"And just who are you to be setting yourself up as God? Maybe I'm just the right kind of person for this particular kid. Now are you gonna help me or not?"

"What exactly is it you want me to do Peter? Its out of my hands."

"Hey, if Darius doesn't find her parents then I want to give her a home. Charlotte and I do, and that means persuading the Volturi and I can see you helping your precious daughter to keep the baby so how about you put in a good word for me to your best pal Aro Volturi too?"

I could tell Carlisle wasn't at all sure about this but I sensed Peter was right, he was the best person if only because he was the only person Kat had formed a relationship with so I put a hand on Carlisle's arm.

"I think Peter's right, we know Rose is desperate to keep the baby and her biological mother is dead and her father will be very shortly so why not Carlisle? Kat has taken to Peter and I think he deserves a chance with her."

Carlisle looked at me as if not quite sure he was hearing correctly but then he nodded slowly.

"Very well Peter, if the Volturi become involved I will speak on your behalf to the brothers but I can't guarantee anything."

"That's all I'm asking Carlisle, a chance for me and for Kat."

Peter

I had been surprised when Esme stuck up for me, I never thought of either of them as friends but I might have to review my ideas about them if Carlisle really did try to help me. For now though there was no point getting Kat's hopes up, or ours I guess, although I was ready to fight for Kat if necessary. We went back up to her room to find her looking at a book.

"You like reading Kat?"

She put it down guiltily,

"I was only looking, I didn't damage it really I didn't."

I smiled at her reassuringly while Charlotte sat down beside her and picked the book up,

"A history of the Greeks. This is a bit dry for you Kat."

"Its got no pictures in it. Sophie told me there were books with lots of pictures in them, pretty pictures that told a story. She told me stories before daddy moved her out of the cellar. I think she made him happy and she was good so he let her live in the house with him. He never let me though, I wish I could have been a good girl, then I could have lived in a house."

She looked around the room,

"Like this one maybe."

Charlotte

I looked at the book again and something suddenly occurred to me. Do you like to draw Kat?"

She nodded,

"I used to draw on the floor with a stick sometimes but daddy stopped me. He took all the sticks away and smacked me."

"Would you like some paper and colored pencils so you can draw some pictures?"

I could see she wanted to but she was afraid to answer, if she showed an interest in anything that man had crushed it out of her.

"Well, I think I'll get some and you can if you want then. Peter draws but his drawings aren't very good"

I whispered the last and she smiled just a little.

"Hey, my drawings are brilliant, get that paper and I'll show you."

I went downstairs and borrowed paper and coloring pens from Esme, they were expensive designers pencils but she didn't mind. I think she was just happy to hear we were getting responses from Kat.

"How's The Major doing? Have you heard anything on Bella?"

"No nothing but I keep hoping we will. Jasper was so happy, he didn't stop talking about her Charlotte. Why does this kind of thing have to happen to someone like him? You'd think he'd suffered enough wouldn't you?"

I agreed, he deserved some happiness, I just hope he could reach Bella and bring her back to him.

Peter

Kat and I decided to have a competition and were busy deciding what to draw.

"How about a bird?"

She shook her head,

"A room?"

She hesitated.

"How about you draw me and I'll draw you?"

She looked terrified,

"What if my picture isn't good enough? You'll get angry with me."

"Nope, not gonna happen. Besides we'll let Charlotte judge."

She still looked uncertain but then Charlotte reappeared and put down two sketchbooks, one in front of me and the other in front of Kat who ran a finger over the pink cover then looked up at Charlotte,

"I can really use this?"

"Yes its yours, a present from Esme, along with the colored pens."

There was a new box for each of us and Kat picked hers up looking in wonder at all the different colors.

"They are so pretty, are you sure Esme won't mind me using them? What if I break one?"

"She's got plenty, she says you can keep them. Right lets see who draws better."

Of course I wasn't trying very hard, I could draw pretty well but this was for Kat not me and when we both finished she put the pencils carefully back into the box and handed the book open at the first page to Charlotte and I did the same. Charlotte gasped,

"Kat this is wonderful."

I peered over as Char turned the page towards me. Kat had drawn me as if it were a photograph.

"Well I can see who the winner is straight away. You can really draw well."

Kat looked embarrassed but she couldn't help smiling.

"Why don't you write your name on the sketch pad then everyone will know it's really yours."

Kat looked stricken at my suggestion and Charlotte quickly cut in,

"Let me do it for you."

As she wrote Kat in large letters on the front it stuck me, Kat couldn't write, so she couldn't read either and that made me even more determined to take her in and give her all the things she had been denied..