The characters belong to Stephanie Meyer but the story is my own.
There were voices floating towards me through the darkness.
Darkness. I was still here? I could feel nothing. Was this all there was in death?
"Should we leave her? I'm sure someone else will come by."
"Come on, we can't leave her here. Imagine if she was your wife." I felt something slide under me. Several minutes passed and then there was a grinding noise. An engine turning over, or at least trying to.
Then nothing.
CPOV
"Dr. Cullen?" I finished writing on the intake form then turned to the nurse behind me.
"Yes?" She smiled and stood a little straighter. I simply sighed, wishing that I didn't draw women in.
"There is a corpse that was brought in. We need you to fill out the death certificate right away." I nodded then handed the clipboard to the nurse. I grabbed my stethoscope, placed it around my neck and headed for the stairs. This was the third body this week that had been brought in by people. I was beginning to wonder if this was a safe place to be staying. I nodded at the nuns who were heading upstairs to chapel. They smiled at me then hurried on their way. I scrunched up my nose at the smell as then morgue drew closer. The smell had never really grown on me even after working in a hospital all these years. I pushed the door open and walked over to the table where the body had been placed. I grabbed a certificate and began to write on it. A soft, struggling thumping sound caught my attention. I looked down and realized that this person was still alive. I grabbed the cloth and pulled it away, gasping. It couldn't be.
I leaned in and took a breath, becoming overwhelmed by the same scent that had been plaguing my memories for the last ten years. That beautiful young, vibrant girl was lying here. Esme Platt her name was. She had stayed with me since I had set her leg after she fell from that tree trying to rescue a bird's nest. Her heart had been so pure and beautiful and I had held such hopes for her. Her future had been so bright yet she had been declared dead. I took a quick inventory of her injury's. Her spine was broken in three place, one lung was destroyed, her rib cage was shattered and her arms and legs were destroyed. I had to try. I quickly covered her with the blanket and scooped her into my arms, making sure to not jostle her. The car would be too slow, I had to run. I listened and the hallway was empty. I made a bolt for door and was outside into the night within moments. I made a beeline for the forest and as soon as I was under cover I began to run.
"Esme hold on just a little longer, just hand on." I held her as tight as I dared and ran as fast as I could. As soon as I was at the house, I slammed the door open with my shoulder and carried her upstairs to my bedroom. Laying her down, I threw the sheet into the corner then turned back to her. With no hesitation I bit down on her neck, then her arms and then her legs. I made sure to hit all the major arteries, wanting the venom to work as fast as possible.
"Keep holding on Esme. Fight." I reached down and took her hand in mine, gently caressing the swollen tissue. She was beautiful even with all the blood and dirt on her body. Her dress was in tatters and I needed to get her cleaned up before the venom healed enough of her wounds that she would become violent with pain. I hurried into the bathroom and filled a basin with hot water and soap. I carried it and towel into the bedroom. I shoved all the items off of my side table and placed it there, before returning to the bathroom. I grabbed a wash cloth and scissors. Returning to Esme's side, I quickly cut the remaining cloth from her body. I threw it into the corner with the cloth as well, not caring. I quickly cleaned her body and then dressed her in one of my shirts. I had no women's clothing but knew that I needed to get something before she awoke. If she awoke.
I heard the front door open and knew that Edward was back from his hunting trip. I grabbed the discarded items and went downstairs, needing to talk to him.
"Carlisle, why?" He stood with his arms crossed, glaring at me from the foot of the stairs. Of course he had been listening to my thoughts. I took a moment to gather myself, swallowing the excess venom.
"Edward I know it is soon, perhaps too soon but I could not let her die. I met her ten years ago, before I had even turned you. Her mother brought her in to the hospital with a broken leg. She was such a beautiful young woman, a heart of pure kindness. She had been climbing a tree to rescue a bird's nest after finding the mother bird dead on the ground. I do not know what led her to this point Edward but I could not be responsible for her death when there was something that I could do about it." I looked into my sons eyes begging him to understand and not be angry with me. If Esme was going to be as much trouble as he was during the change, I needed his help.
"If you are sure Carlisle. Let me sit with her while you go and feed." He gave me a quick hug before heading upstairs to my room. I took a small sniff making sure that I had time to hunt before the venom had changed her to the point of him needing my help. Once I was positive that he would be okay for at least a few hours, I took off into the woods.
Was I doing the right thing? I had not even taken a moment to think this through. I had changed Edward only three years ago and some days it felt as if he was still a newborn. He was still impulsive and on edge most days. While he was getting more control over his mind reading, some days still became overwhelming. He tended to stay away from larger groups of humans and only went into town in the evenings. His last accident had been a little over a year ago and his eyes were back to topaz. He was trying so hard to follow my lifestyle and that was all I could ever ask of him. A herd of deer quickly caught my attention and I took one down. I was nowhere near filled but I could not stay away any longer. I headed back to the house cleaning my hands and face off in the stream before heading inside. I made my way upstairs and sat on the other side of the bed, watching Edward looking into Esme's face.
"She is beautiful Carlisle." He smiled at me then looked back down at her. "I'm not getting anything from her though, just blankness." I grimaced at the thought that I had been too late.
"All we can do is wait Edward." I reached across her broken body and took his other hand in mine. This was my family now and I would do everything that I could to keep us all together.
Esme stayed still and quiet through the entire first day. I was unsurprised as the venom most likely needed to focus on her physical injuries before it began fully changing her. Edward stayed with me all night, not wanting to leave me or her. As the birds began announcing the new days, Esme began to moan.
"Her mind is, well flashing. I keep seeing a baby, a boy I think. Then a casket." He looked up at me as we both realized that Esme had lost her baby.
"On my day off a young mother came in and gave birth to a baby boy who had lung fever. He wasn't going to live longer than two or three days." I ran my free hand through my hair. "It must have been Esme." I felt something inside of me clench as anger began filling my mind. This beautiful young woman in no way deserved to have died or have her baby torn from her so soon.
"She didn't but it happened Carlisle. We owe it to her to look after her now, help her through this." He turned back to her, his eyes moving across her face as he read her thoughts. "I see fear Carlisle, fear and pain. The screaming is going to start soon."
I nodded and positioned myself so I could hold her to the bed if need be. I wasn't sure if the venom worked the same way in everyone or if it was different. I quickly took her hand in mine and leaned down, next to her ear.
"It's going to be okay Esme. The burning will not last forever you just need to fight through it. It will end, I promise you." I kissed her brow, feeling intense heat under my lips. She was burning up, most likely burning away parts of her human body. As I sat back up, her mouth opened and a scream tore through her lips. She began gasping between the screams as if trying to cool herself off. I quickly went to the bathroom and got a basin of cold water. I gently placed it over her forehead, changing it when it got too warm. Her screams continued, growing softer as her voice gave out. I continued to try and make her as comfortable as possible, knowing that this was the most pain that she would ever feel.
"Carlisle, her thoughts." Edward grimaced and pulled away.
"If it is too much son, go." I smiled at him, wanting him to know that I would never be angry.
"It's not that, it's awful. She is so afraid Carlisle because she can hear men. She keeps thinking of her husband. I, I shouldn't say more." He looked at me as he swallowed hard, forcing the thoughts back.
"Of course." I turned back to her and began rubbing circles on her hand. "Esme, my name is Carlisle Cullen. You are in my home and are safe with me, no one will find you here. You are going through some changes as your wounds were too bad for me to simply fix. The pain is only temporary." I looked back at Edward to see if she could understand what I was saying.
"She, she's calming down. I see you, it's a fuzzy memory but it must be from ten years ago. It seems that she never forgot you." I smiled, pleased that she was far enough long to grasp somethings that I said.
"Thank you Edward. Do you need to feed?"
"No, I want to stay. It doesn't feel right to leave her." He grabbed the brush that was next to the bed and began working it through her tangled hair. He was so gently, easing it through tangles and working from the bottom to her scalp. I smiled, watching my son learn compassion in that moment.
As the sun set, the next milestone hit. She began to flail, trying to get away from the pain. I grabbed her legs and held them to the bed, knowing that she would be strongest there. Edward gently pinned her arms to the bed, listening intently to make sure that we weren't hurting her any more than the venom. We waited, keeping our full attention on her and her needs. Around midnight her eyes opened.
"She's wondering if she is in heaven. She keeps calling me Thomas." Edward looked towards me as he let her go. I quickly moved to her side, making sure she could see me.
"Hello Esme. Don't try to talk, this is just a moment of rest before the worst part begins. I will not leave you sweetheart but you need to hear this. I have changed you to save your life. When you fully awaken, you are going to be very disoriented with everything that is going on. That is Edward, my son. He is here to help as well. Esme look at me, hold on for just a few moments more. Do you understand?"
"She does but she says the pain is getting worse." I turned back to her and watched as she reached out and grasped my forearm.
"Help me" She barely rasped out the words before falling back onto the pillow, screaming in pain. Her heart was speeding up which meant that the end was near. I looked to Edward and he shook his head, her mind was consumed by the pain. I watched her writhe on the bed, her torso convulsing as her heart beat faster and faster. How I wanted to end this pain for her. I felt a sob break through and I let me head fall, knowing that I had caused this. The one woman that I had been unable to forget about for the last ten years was in agony. Edward rested his hand on my shoulder and I looked down, listening. Silence. She would awaken soon. I took Edwards hand and led him to the door placing myself between him and Esme. She was going to be very confused but I needed her to trust me.
The clock downstairs ticked each passing second. We waited for Esme to awaken and to welcome her to the family. Suddenly she gasped, opening her eyes and springing to her feet. As she spun to face us, Edward let out a small laugh.
"Dr. Cullen?"