Esme needed to get moving now. She definitely didn't look like herself. She was wearing Levi's, a t-shirt, a hoodie and running shoes. She had on a dark brown wig with long bangs and her complexion had been darkened with makeup. Alice passed her non-prescription glasses which she donned to finish the look.

"Wait, wait." called Rosalie. She took off Esme's glasses and dabbed at her mascara until it was smudged and looked like Esme had been crying. "There better."

Emmett pulled up in an older car with Wisconsin plates.

"Jasper's not here yet with the will and my papers but you talked to him Emmett, what's my name?" Esme asked.

"Nicole Martin, you're 32." answered Emmett.

"Nikki, Nickel, Lo, Nic, Coley, Nicolette, um 32 what music was really popular 20 years ago, let me think.." Esme muttered.

"Mom, calm down you got this," encouraged Alice. Esme looked a little terrified.

Rosalie grabbed Esme's hand. Rosalie almost never called Esme mom but just this once. "Mom, do what you do best. Focus on Nora, the little girl who needs you because she's lost the people closest to her. She's lost her mum and dad and she needs you. Anything else is an insignificant detail."

Alice, who had been looking mighty worried, smiled as Rose spoke. Rose's words had been vitally important to the probability of success.

Jasper arrived with the doctored will, a temporary driver's licence, social insurance number and birth certificate and an old North Central Technical College photo id card. "I couldn't get the DMV photo id fast enough."

"Wait Mom," called Emmett. He gave Esme a photo of Nora he appropriately dogeared to look like it had been in a wallet for a while.

Nicole Martin pulled into the hospital a little too fast and rushed out of her car asking for directions to Nora Martin.

Carlisle had taken a half shift at the hospital so that he could be there to make sure everything went well. Watching but staying out of the way he was more than a little impressed.

In less than two minutes flat Miss Martin was holding her niece's hand so focused on the girl that she was almost dismissive of Children's Aid. She barely looked away from Nora when they asked for i.d. She just handed over her wallet. "It's all in there." then ignored them fussing over Nora.

Later a patrol officer stopped by to explain about the details of the accident. "Will you be arranging for the funerals?"

"Yes of course. Oh, also, I was well, their will is in the kitchen drawer near the phone." Esme explained to the patrol officer. "The doctor was explaining that Nora is in shock. He thinks she'll be better at home. Of course when things are cleared up here she's coming to Wisconsin with me but for now I'd like to care for her in my brother's house, her house."

It took very little to get Nora out of the hospital. The doctor's kept the IV in but Nora was allowed to go home within a few hours. A nurse would be stopping by daily for right now but the paediatrician thought having her at home in the care of her aunt would make a world of difference.

Carlisle subtly tucked the nursing request so that it fell behind the desk.

Nora's parents' funeral was organised indecently fast so that Nora could go. And she went, sitting in a wheelchair staring off into space locked in her own world of fiery pain. Alice and Jasper spend the entire funeral in a back room listening to be sure Nora's heart wasn't going into the final overdrive that would signal imminent change. Alice knew they still had two more days' time but after what had happened to Renesme, Edward and Bella, she didn't trust her view of the future and Jasper wasn't about to let her sit there alone.

Somehow both Nora's maternal Aunt and Grandmother made it in time although the Uncle and young cousins didn't come down from Canada.

Emmett had photoshopped some pictures so Esme was visible around Nora's house in a few photo frames posing as if she'd been a part of the family's past.

Only one question about Aunt Nicole was even asked. It came from the Grandmother.

"I don't remember you from the wedding."

Esme, who'd been to more weddings and funerals than most was expecting the question from someone. "I know. To my shame, twelve years ago I was horribly self absorbed and off on an Alaskan cruise that seemed more important to me than my own brother's wedding. At least I outgrew that phase."

"It was a wonderful service Nicole. I do hope Nora snaps out of this soon, take care of my granddaughter."

Nicole and Nora left the next day leaving a fast talking solicitor to finalise the estate and any other paperwork needed.

The Cullen family funeral was slower but it felt terribly fake as full of lies as it had to be. Maybe after all the guests had left would they feel ready to even think about grief. Their Northern cousins had been told what happened but with Nora in the mix they stayed away waiting to see what would happen. Carlisle sent them a copy of the video call with Aro.

They warned that an immortal child could seem innocent, sweet, loving even. As she learned to hunt and as she tried to navigate strong emotions the truth of her nature would come out.

The funeral was over but human guests were still puttering around the house. Carlisle had retired to his office where Nora laid on his couch. They'd temporarily hermetically sealed the room. The window was bullet proof glass and the door locked.

Carlisle was reading aloud from the Chronicles of Narnia. He was onto the second book when he heard the last faltering beat of her heart. He kept reading, waiting until she felt ready to face the world. Occasionally he'd stop and comment on something, "Do you think Lucy was right to be angry with Edmond, Nora?" but mostly he kept his voice soothing and calm.

Finally Nora spoke. "I like when Lucy and Susan get to hug Aslan. Even if everything before was kind of terrible. Lion's with those beautiful manes look like they were made for hugs."

"Even with their sharp teeth?" Asked Carlisle.

"I don't have pointy teeth but everything else is really weird like I can see the dots that make up the picture on the cover of the book you're reading. I can almost see with my nose. Wood, leather, paper, ink, candle. How do you turn your nose off?"

Carlisle chuckled. "I've no idea."

"I'm hungry, Dr. Cullen."

"I know Nora. I'm sorry. The people you hear outside this room? Well, if you could smell them you would probably want to eat them. Brand new vampires have trouble making good food choices."

"Where are we?"

"My house. I know you have an Aunt and Uncle, some cousins and a Grandma and a Grandpa but me and my family have welcomed you into our home because we don't think you'd really be happy eating your Aunt or Grandma or Cousins so we thought maybe we could help."

Nora frowned at Carlisle for a moment before admitting, "Part of me is kind of thinking about, well about stranger danger but part of me says I shouldn't be able to hear that ant walking across your window sill."

"As soon as all the guests leave we'll get some food into you. It'll probably taste pretty gross but you suggested Racoon and my son and daughter, Jasper and Alice, plus my wife Esme thought maybe it would make it easier for you if you were an animal superhero at the same time as feeding. So while I stayed back to keep an eye on you, my entire family went out and collected Rabid Racoons, every single one they could find in the whole state. It was a big job. It took most of last night. It won't hurt you to eat them. It will fill you up and it will put them out of their misery and help other racoons stay healthy. They're in the garage."

"That does sound better than eating Gran. She was here for a little while, maybe. When I was on fire. I think? That won't happen again will it? The fire?"

"No the fire is done and yes your Gran came for the funeral," said Carlisle softly. The entire family had, had a long discussion about immortal children, the nature of evil and vampiric thirst. Esme had spoken of Edward's struggle to see himself as anything but damned. Carlisle admitted he'd had troubles with that concept as well. Jasper, who'd watched Bella's transformation in awe at how peaceful it had been, had suggested that maybe it was important not only to know there was another option than drinking human blood, but maybe it was important to truly believe that good was an achievable goal. He'd been very convincing. Saving the state from rabid racoons had been an almost cheerful project for the night before the funeral.

"Do you want to hear more of the story?" asked Carlisle.

"I want a hug but the very best hugs are gone," whispered Nora hugging her own knees.

Carlisle had been listening. He didn't even offer a hug because he understood the whole concept of stranger danger. He got up from his seat, gently squeezed Nora's hand then returned to the chair on the other side of the room.

"Doctor Cullen, you said you welcomed me into your home. For how long? What happens now?"

Carlisle sighed. "Nora, you need someone to take care of you. For how long, is for as long as you need. My family and I will help you figure out how to be strong without breaking things, how to run fast and far without getting lost, how to find food and stay healthy."

"My wife used to be a teacher. I think she's looking forward to helping you with things like school and honestly I don't know if you like crafts but Esme loves crafts. She's alway painting, gardening, making jams to sell and fixing up the house though I suppose part of fixing up the house is that rambunctious boys tend to break a lot of things. Well, we have two daughters and one really likes shopping and clothes and the other likes cars and electronics anyway I think Esme would enjoy someone to do crafty things with. Last Christmas she made an entire gingerbread village almost entirely by herself. I tried to help but apparently spending three hours making one cookie perfect is very annoying to her. I thought I'd made a very handsome gingerbread man."

Nora laughed. "Did you eat it after?"

"I think you'll find that kind of food isn't tasty any more."

"Are you sure? Not even ice cream?"

"I don't care for it. You can try it if you like," answered Carlisle. You don't get to be 300 years old and a father many times over by making a practice of being the idiot that forever took ice cream away.

The sound of guests had slowly disappeared. Alice would come when it was safe. Jasper, who was a complete stranger to Nora, had decided it was best not to intrude but rather to see how Carlisle managed on his own while staying near enough to be a calming influence if necessary. He had been listening.

Nora was worried but not scared or angry or violent. In his head he folded up the memory and tucked it away for the next time he needed to project calm. Carlisle was kind of amazing.