A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I really enjoy reading them! I hope you enjoy the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I still don't own these characters...but I do have three copies of Eclipse!

Song for this chapter: True Colors by Cyndi Lauper

Show me a smile then,

Don't be unhappy,

Can't remember when I last saw you laughing

If this world makes you crazy

And you've taken all you can bear

You call me up

Because you know I'll be there

Carlisle POV

Having Esme back in my arms made me feel whole again. After years of depression, I was finally experiencing some much needed happiness and hope.

She was worried about what would happen now, and I can't say that I wasn't. Our lives were about to turn into rollercoaster rides, but I would accept that any day as long as Esme was back by my side.

I had listened attentively as Esme told me about Emmett's birth. I felt guilty at first for not being there with her, but I realized that there was no way I could have been. I had no idea that she had been so close to me, but she hadn't either. Esme had always been a strong woman, but surviving Charles and raising Emmett on her own solidified her strength in my mind.

I wanted to learn everything about Emmett and couldn't wait to meet him. I was only slightly surprised that Esme wanted to put my last name on the birth certificate and loved the idea of one day claiming him as my own.

Esme and I were still sitting on the couch in perfect silence. Her head was against my chest, and I would have thought she was asleep if not for her tracing patterns with her index finger on my arms that were wrapped comfortably around her.

"Tell me more about Emmett," I prompted. "What's he like now?"

"Active," she said immediately. "That's probably the best adjective for him."

"Active?" I questioned. "Like as in running around active?"

"Oh yes. Running, jumping, climbing; you name it, he does it. He also likes to swing from things. My nickname for him is actual 'Monkey,'" she said with a laugh.

"How do you keep up with him?" I asked. I couldn't imagine how she managed working and keeping up with him, all while trying to stay hidden.

"I'm fairly convinced I've grown eyes in the back of my head. But our apartment is small, so there are only so many places he can go. Even so, he pretty much runs me ragged everyday. As soon as he's asleep, I fall into bed, too. Unfortunately, he loves the morning."

I had to laugh at her statement. Esme had never been a morning person, and it seemed that fact hadn't changed over the years.

"So what else does he like besides wearing you out everyday?"

Esme leaned up and smiled at me, her eyes shining. Even if I had no interest in her son, I would have wanted her to talk about him, just to see the powerfully loving expression on her face when she did.

"Well, when he does sit down, he likes for me to read to him. He also loves watching Sesame Street and Praise Baby. Oh, and he loves playing ball. We play catch any chance we have. And he likes anything with wheels: cars, trucks, trains, anything. I guess he's going to be all boy.

"Emmett's also extremely vocal. I think he likes the sound of his own voice a little too much sometimes. Most of the time I can't understand everything he says, but he does know many words and he's good at identifying most objects."

I honestly could listen to Esme describe her son for hours. The way she poured her love into her description was amazing. Everything that little boy did was a joy to her, and I couldn't wait for the chance to experience it as well.

"You love him so much," I said as I leaned over to kiss her temple.

She sighed and leaned closer to me again. "Truly I do. He's the only good thing to come out of my relationship with Charles, and I'm pretty sure I would do it all again just to have him."

I didn't take offense from her statement. I knew that as much as I loved Esme and she loved me, the bond a mother had with her child was incredibly powerful and unbreakable. I would never think about asking Esme to choose between me and her son.

All of a sudden, I noticed my shoulder becoming wet. Esme quickly reached her free hand up to wipe her eyes.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" I asked. She had been happy to talk about Emmett and now she was crying. I rubbed her back in comfort, encouraging her to confide in me.

"I just miss him so much," she whispered, her voice trembling. "And I'm ready to get out of here, but I have no idea how I'm going to manage when I do. My chest hurts when I breathe and I only have one working arm. There's no way I can take care of Em by myself."

I knew she was very close to having a breakdown so I rocked her back and forth as she tried to compose herself. I peppered her forehead with soft kisses and her sniffles gradually died down.

"I just really don't want to be alone tonight," she confessed softly.

"Who says you have to be?" I interjected. She lifted her head off of my shoulder and looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"I'm off until Tuesday morning so I was thinking of staying here with you tonight. Tomorrow morning, the police will be by for your statement and you can be discharged after that. And as for Emmett, maybe I could help you with him?" I asked timidly. I knew Esme loved me, but I didn't know if she would want me to be around her son so soon.

Esme placed her head back against my shoulder and sighed. I didn't take that as a good sign and waited for her rejection of my offer.

"You know, sometimes I find you unbelievable, Carlisle Cullen," she said in a thoughtful tone.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I hedged quietly.

"Oh, it's an amazing thing. It's just difficult for me to believe that you are real. But I could never ask you to help me with my son. He's my responsibility no matter how injured I am."

"But you didn't ask me," I stated. "I volunteered. I would love nothing more than to get to know someone so precious to you."

"See, like I said: unbelievable!"

I smiled at her reaction. "So when will you believe it? Not to rush or anything. I have all the time in the world to convince you."

Esme grabbed my hand and brought it up to her lips to gently kiss my palm. "Ask me again tomorrow. Maybe I'll believe it then."

I cupped her face in my hand and gently rubbed her cheek with my thumb. "I'll ask you everyday for the rest of our lives if I have to."

"That sounds good. And thank you for your offer. I would love for you to meet Emmett. He doesn't always warm up to strangers quickly, though. He can be really shy, but I'm sure it won't take long for him to love you."

"So what does the little guy look like?" I asked. I knew about his journey into the world and his favorite activities, but I wondered what he looked like. I hope he looked more like Esme than the monster.

"Maggie e-mailed me a picture earlier if you want to see it," she said with a smile. I stood up and retrieved the lap top from the table and placed it in my lap after I sat back down. Esme pulled her account up and clicked on the message from her neighbor.

I immediately smiled when I saw the picture. The little boy was covered in pudding, but beneath the lunch he was wearing, he was truly beautiful. He had the biggest smile, complete with Esme's dimples. His eyes were the same shape as hers, but were light brown instead of hazel. His heart shaped face was adorned by soft brown hair that curled slightly at the end.

"Esme, he's beautiful!" I said honestly. "He looks so much like you. Is he always this happy?"

"Thank you," she replied sweetly. "And yes. He's normally a very happy baby. He likes to have things his way, though. I can already feel the terrible twos approaching. He almost has the temper tantrum down to a science already."

We both seemed to look at the clock on the computer at the same time. It was getting late; already after nine. Esme pulled herself closer to me and gripped my hand tightly. She obviously recognized that I was going to have to leave, even for only a short time.

"It's getting late. I'm going to head to my apartment to get my stuff together for our sleepover tonight." My joke made her giggle softly, but she still held on to me. "I promise you'll be safe here while I'm gone and I'll be back soon."

She nodded and squeezed me tightly one more time before loosening her grip. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and offered it to her.

"I'm going downstairs to get my stuff from my office. Why don't you call your neighbor and see if she can pack a bag for you? You can give me the address and I can pick it up on my way back here." Esme smiled, nodded, and accepted the phone. I stood up and kissed her head before walking down the hall toward the elevator.

Once I gathered my belongings, I made my way back to Esme's room. She was still on the couch, smiling. She handed my phone to me and I placed it back in my pocket.

"Maggie said she'll have the bag ready for you. Do you need me to write down my address?"

I nodded and found a piece of paper and a pen in my tote bag. She quickly wrote down her address and handed it to me. After I placed it securely in my empty pocked, I held my hand out to her to help her up.

"You should probably get back in bed. A nurse should be in soon to check your vitals, hopefully for the last time tonight. I'm going to tell them to leave you alone so you can get some rest."

Esme stood up and walked over to the bed. I tried my best to help her get comfortable, but the cast on her arm was an inconvenience for her. After making sure she was settled, I brushed the hair back from her face.

"I love you," I said as I smiled down at her.

"I love you, too," she replied.

I leaned in to kiss her, but this time I didn't go for the top of her head. I headed straight for her beautiful pink lips. Esme seemed to notice my changed path and closed her eyes. She sighed softly as our lips finally connected.

The world around us ceased to exist at that moment. Her lips were so soft as they molded with mine. Our kiss was innocent, yet filled with all of our love. Our mouths worked together and nothing else mattered. It reminded me of our previous kisses many years ago except this one was much more powerful. Eight years of grief and loneliness seemed to end.

I finally forced myself to break the connection and rested my forehead against hers. After we caught our breath, I placed one more quick kiss to her lips before standing up straight.

Esme opened her eyes and stared up at me. "Hurry back," she pleaded softly.

"Nothing could keep me away." I squeezed her hand once more and left the room.

I quickly stopped by the nurses station on my way out to make sure they wouldn't be bothering Esme all night. She needed rest to be able to go back to taking care of her toddler.

After clearing things up with the nurses, I made my way to the parking lot and got into my car. I drove as fast as the speed limit would allow back to my apartment. I took a shower and changed into a clean pair of scrub pants with a t-shirt before packing a small bag for the night.

Once I locked up, I went back out to my car and programmed the address Esme gave me into my GPS. The apartment building was only about thirty minutes away and I felt like slapping myself for having Esme so close to me for so long but not knowing about it.

As I drove, I began thinking about the night to come. Esme missed Emmett so much, and I knew that even though my presence brought her comfort, she wouldn't fully be able to relax without having her son near. True, she would see him in the morning, but I began thinking that maybe I could speed it up. My plan quickly formed in my mind and a smile came to my face. I just hoped Maggie would go along with my idea.

I pulled in to the parking area of the apartment building and noticed that a man was standing outside of the door. I got out of my car and approached him. As soon as I was in his view, a big smile appeared on his face.

"Benjamin Campbell," he said cheerfully as he extended his hand to me.

"Carlisle Cullen. Nice to meet you," I replied as I shook his hand.

"So you're here to pick up the things for Esme?" I nodded in response and he gestured for me to follow him.

The apartment building wasn't very fancy, but it seemed safe enough and well kept. We stopped in front of a door and Benjamin pulled his key out of his pocket. Before he could unlock the door, it was quickly opened by a small woman with thick, curly, red hair and bright green eyes. She looked at me and a smile appeared on her face also.

"It's you," she whispered and then pulled me in for a hug. I had no idea what she meant, but I tentatively returned the hug.

"You must be Maggie," I said once she finally released me.

"Yes and you must be Dr. Cullen." She turned to look at her husband. "See Benjamin, I told you he was the one. I could tell by how Esme sounded on the phone. Never doubt me again."

"Yes, dear," he mumbled and then left the room.

I was very confused by their interaction, and Maggie noticed my puzzled expression.

"I recognize you," she confessed. "Esme has a picture of the two of you in her apartment. She never spoke much about the man in the picture, but when she did, I could tell he meant a lot to her. Then tonight when she called, she was the happiest I have ever heard her. I told Ben the 'Dr. Carlisle Cullen' she mentioned on the phone was the same man. And here you are! Thank you for helping her."

I wasn't surprised that Esme still had at least one picture of us together since I had kept every one I had.

"Thank you for doing this, Maggie. Esme is being discharged tomorrow, but I'm glad she can be more comfortable tonight."

Maggie handed me a small duffle bag that was beside the door. "It's no problem at all. She's such a sweet woman. I've never asked her for her story, but I can tell she's been through a lot in her young life. I'm just glad we can do this much for her now."

I wasn't sure how to pitch my idea to Maggie. She seemed to like and trust me, but I couldn't be sure. I decided to just be direct.

"Um Maggie, I was hoping I could have your help with something else for Esme."

"Sure. What did you have in mind?" she asked, still smiling widely at me.

"Well, I know Esme misses her son terribly and I was hoping to bring him back to the hospital with me to stay tonight. And I realize you don't know me and have no reason to trust me, but I really want to do this. Seeing Emmett will definitely ease her mind."

Maggie continued to look at me for a few seconds before engulfing me in another hug. She finally pulled back and patted my arm.

"Of course I trust you, Dr. Cullen. I can tell by the sound of her voice and the look in your eyes that you two love each other. I don't know your circumstances, but I can see that. I'll just pack a bag for him and you can take Emmett with you. I'm assuming you're staying there with Esme tonight?"

"Yes, I'm staying and I plan on helping her with Emmett until her arm is healed. I've heard he's 'active.'"

Maggie laughed. "He surely is active. But lucky for you, he's asleep right now and he's a heavy sleeper so you shouldn't have too much trouble with him; at least not tonight. Ben, get Em's car seat for Dr. Cullen!" And with that, she was off into the other room.

Benjamin came back into the room with a car seat and I walked with him back outside so he could buckle it into the car. Once it was secure, we went inside and Maggie handed me a diaper bag.

"That didn't take very long," I commented.

"Well I had already packed enough for him to stay here all weekend," she explained. "So most of it was still in the diaper bag. I did put a couple containers of baby food in there, but he's fine eating regular food. There's also two clean sippy cups, so you should be set. All you need now is the baby."

I followed Maggie into the bed room and she led me over to a small play-pen like contraption.

Emmett was indeed sound asleep, and he was every bit as beautiful from the picture. He was lying on his back with his arms up by his head. His blue sleeper had a picture of a monkey on it; perfect for his knick-name. Every few seconds he would suck lightly on the blue pacifier in his mouth. His breathing was deep and even, and he didn't seem to be disturbed at all with our presence.

Maggie motioned for me to get him, so I gently lifted him from his little bed. He sighed slightly, nested his head into my neck and shoulder, and put his arm around me. His body was warm, and he felt so right in my arms. Holding this precious child cemented the fact in my brain that I wanted to be a father to him.

After placing a blanket over Emmett, Maggie and Benjamin walked with me to my car. I somehow managed to figure out how the buckles worked in the car seat, and once Emmett was safely restrained, I closed the door lightly so I wouldn't wake him.

Benjamin shook my hand again and I told them I would be bringing Esme over once she was discharged. They told me to take care of Esme and Emmett, and then I got in the car and drove back to the hospital.

I periodically glanced in the rearview mirror to check on Emmett. He slept peacefully the whole way. I realized I didn't know much about taking care of babies or toddlers. I had treated a few in the past, but not many. My cousin, Kate, and her husband had three kids, but since they lived in Alaska, I had only seen them a handful of times while they were infants. I was hoping I would some kind of help for Esme, even if I didn't know what I was doing.

We arrived at the hospital and I carefully unbuckled Emmett from his seat and lifted him into my arms. He snuggled against me and I rubbed his back a couple of times, willing him to stay asleep. After I got all the bags out and onto my free shoulder, we headed toward Esme's room. The hallways were quiet since it was so late and I didn't run into anyone as I walked.

When we got to Esme's door, I knocked lightly and I heard her grant her soft permission to enter. I opened the door and saw that Esme was sitting up in bed, probably waiting on me to return. As soon as she saw me with Emmett, her mouth popped open in shock before tears filled her eyes and she smiled brightly at me.

"Surprise," I whispered as I crossed the room. Esme sat up further and I carefully leaned down to kiss her head.

"Carlisle, I can't believe it. How…Why…I just don't know what to say. Can he even stay here tonight?" Esme seemed genuinely happy and confused as she held Emmett's hand and rub it with her thumb.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll be here tonight and no one will say anything to me."

"Why, Carlisle Cullen! Are you telling me that you're about to use your name for personal gain?" she teased me good-naturedly. I was so happy her playful spirit was back and I knew bringing Emmett was a perfect decision.

"If it comes down to it, yes. I already told you I would do anything for you. And besides, Eleazar is on the board of directors of the hospital. He would for sure be on your team, too."

"Thank you for doing this, Carlisle," she told me sincerely. Her eyes were still glistening with unshed tears.

"You don't have to thank me. Now come on," I said as I patted her leg. "I have your bag here and you can change into something comfortable and then lie down with Emmett."

Esme nodded and I helped her get off the bed. She headed into the bathroom with her bag and I paced the room with Emmett. I couldn't resist placing a soft kiss against his head as I walked around rubbing his back. I could tell Maggie had given him a bath because he had the clean baby smell of soap and baby lotion.

Esme returned shortly wearing cotton pajama pants and a t-shirt, clearly looking relieved to have been able to change and brush her teeth. I helped her lower the bed into a more comfortable sleeping position. Once she was settled in bed, I gently placed Emmett beside her. He automatically snuggled into her side and she placed a sweet kiss on his head. She closed her eyes and rubbed her nose against his head, breathing him in. After a few minutes she opened her eyes and smiled at me. If I thought her eyes sparkled when she talked about Emmett, they practically glowed once he was here with her.

I leaned down and kissed her forehead, both cheeks, and finally her lips. Her mouth worked with mine as we poured our affection into the kiss. I finally broke the kiss and rubbed my cheek against hers.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," I whispered.

She turned her head and kissed my cheek. "Goodnight. I love you."

"I love you, too. Try to get some sleep. We have a pretty busy day tomorrow." I stood up and dimmed the light before walking over to the couch. I situated myself so that I could face Esme in case she needed to get my attention during the night.

I laid on the couch watching her as she gently ran her fingers through Emmett's soft hair. I was glad I had been able to bring her more happiness while she was stuck at the hospital. I felt myself dozing off, but I had a feeling Emmett would be the only one getting a good nights rest.