A/N: I'm back! Thanks for waiting patiently for me. Paramore was AMAZING! I'm so glad I got to go even with the eight hour car ride.

Thanks again for the reviews. I have over 50 now which is incredible! I really feel like I can't thank you guys enough.

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of these characters.

Song for chapter: Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne

You're not alone

Together we stand

I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand

When it gets cold

And it feels like the end

There's no place to go

You know I won't give in

No I won't give in

Carlisle POV

My eyes opened involuntarily, and I couldn't tell what time it was based on the light, or lack thereof, coming in from the window. I rolled over and looked at my alarm clock and groaned when I saw the time. It was way too early to be awake, so I closed my eyes. Two seconds later, they popped open again and a smile appeared on my face.

Esme was here with me, actually in my apartment. She lived with me now, and we were going to spend today together, as well as every day to come.

I moved the covers off of me and sat up to stretch. My body felt a little stiff, but well rested. Those eight hours of sleep were some of the best I ever had. I had a feeling that had something to do with the relief I felt having Esme back with me, and also because of the lack of sleep I had at the hospital.

I went into the bathroom and went through my short morning routine before quietly walking down the hallway toward Esme's room. I silently opened the door and peeked inside.

Esme was still sleeping peaceful in the exact same position I left her in. Her caramel hair was fanned out behind her on the pillow, and her face was completely relaxed except for the corners of her mouth which were turned up in a slight smile. I was glad she was having happy dreams and getting the rest she desperately needed.

As I was watching Esme, I heard some soft sounds coming from Emmett. I walked over to his little "bed" to check on him. He was awake lying on his back, playing with his blanket and talking to himself in a language only he could understand. He noticed my presence and looked up at me with his big toffee eyes.

"Hey, buddy. Are you ready to get up?" I whispered. I held out my arms in an offer to pick him up. Emmett dropped his blanket and held his own arms out to me. I lifted him up and settled him on my hip.

I was very tempted to go closer to the bed to kiss Esme awake, but I decided to try that another day. This Sunday, she could sleep as late as she wanted or needed to.

I quietly left the room with Emmett, grabbing the diaper bag on the way out. I took him into my room and laid him on the bed to change his diaper. Emmett rolled around the bed in an attempt to get away from me, but I tickled him into submission. Once he was redressed, I carried him into the kitchen to fix him some milk.

We hadn't had a chance to unpack all of their things, but I did put Emmett's feeding supplies away in the kitchen. A simple thing like opening my cabinet to get a sippy cup delighted me immensely.

I filled Emmett's cup and gave it to him in exchange for his pacifier. He settled his head against my shoulder and drank contentedly. I placed his pacifier on a napkin on the counter so I would know where it was whenever he asked for it again.

I decided I wanted to make breakfast for Esme. Unfortunately, I didn't know much about cooking. I had been living off of cereal, microwave dinners, and anything fresh for years now. I looked in my small pantry for anything that might be considered breakfast food. After rummaging for a few minutes, I came across a package of blueberry muffin mix. I read the back of the package and sighed in relief when I found the only other ingredient necessary was milk, which I had in stock.

"What do you think, Em? Muffins for breakfast sound good?"

He reached his free hand out and pointed to the package. "Mmm mmm," he mumbled while still drinking his milk.

It sounded like a sound of agreement, so I placed the mix on the counter.

I carried Emmett into the living room and laid him down on the couch. I turned the TV on to some little kid show. It wasn't "Melmo," but it seemed to hold his attention.

I went back to the kitchen to start gathering my supplies. Most of my cabinets were pretty much a mystery- full of random objects Carmen felt I needed. I certainly appreciated her effort, however, when I found a muffin pan in one of the lower cabinets. I preheated the oven, and after rounding up a measuring cup, a mixing bowl, and a spoon, I set to work.

Once I began my task, I started feeling more confident in my cooking abilities. I soon had the batter poured into the pan and the pan in the oven. I set the timer, and went back into the living room. I had checked on Emmett periodically during my baking, and so far, he hadn't moved from his spot on the couch.

A new show was on TV and I still had no clue what it was, but if Emmett liked it, I would leave in on. I sat on the couch and pulled him into my lap. He sat back against my chest and placed his free hand on top of one of mine. Sometimes I felt as if my heart was going to explode from how much love it contained, not only for Esme, but also for this precious boy I was holding.

The timer went off in the kitchen, and as much as I didn't want to move, I really didn't want to burn my first attempt to cook breakfast for my love. I reluctantly stood up and placed Emmett back on the couch. I went to the kitchen and took the muffins out of the oven. They looked and smelled delicious, so I hoped they were edible. While I left them on the stove to cool, I started the coffee maker and looked in the refrigerator to see if I had anything else to go with breakfast. I found some microwaveable bacon and orange juice and decided that would be sufficient for the rest of our meal.

As I was looking in the refrigerator, I heard a set of little feet walk into the room. I closed the door and turned around to smile at Emmett who was holding his cup out toward me.

"Did you finish your milk, buddy?" I asked.

He nodded, so I took the cup from him and placed it on the counter next to his pacifier. He walked closer to me and held both of his arms in the air.

"Up!" he almost demanded while jumping a little. I gladly picked him up and settled him on my hip.

I got a plate out for the muffins, and went to the stove to get them out of the pan. Emmett watched in great fascination as I tried to get the muffins out of the pan. Unfortunately, they seemed to be stuck.

"Uh oh," I mumbled after the fifth attempt to get one muffin out. Emmett echoed my sound, and I looked around the kitchen, trying to decide what to do. I fished the package out of the trash and reread the directions. After reading, I realized I forget to grease the pan or put in paper baking cups. It disappointed me a little to know I didn't make a perfect breakfast, but the muffins still looked okay on top and the kitchen smelled amazing.

I pulled a small piece from one of them and popped it in my mouth. I was relieved that they tasted like they were supposed to. I pulled off another piece and blew on it to cool it some more and then offered it to Emmett. He opened his mouth wide and accepted the bite readily.

"Mmm mmm," he said as he rubbed his little belly.

I laughed and patted his belly myself. "Mmm mmm good, huh?" I asked. Emmett smiled, leaned forward, and waved, so I turned to see what caught his attention.

Esme was leaning up against the doorway smiling at us. She looked gorgeous as always. Her hair was slightly messy from sleep, but she appeared to be well rested and feeling better.

When I acknowledged her presence, she crossed the room to come and stand beside me.

"Good morning, beautiful," I said as I tilted my head down to kiss her.

"Good morning to you, too, handsome," she giggled.

I passed Emmett to her, and they gave each other kisses. It was another precious moment I was thankful to witness. Esme turned to look at the pan full of stuck muffins.

"Did you make breakfast?" she asked. "It smells delicious."

I nodded. "I wanted to make breakfast for you, but I'm afraid I didn't do so well. They're kind of stuck." I picked up the pan and turned it upside down to emphasize my point.

"Just get a knife out and run it around the edges. They might not look pretty afterwards, but they'll still taste the same."

I took her advice and soon had a plate full of raggedy muffins sitting on the table with a plate with bacon. I fixed us both a cup of coffee along with orange juice for all three of us, and we sat down to eat.

After a cheerful breakfast, I cleaned up my mess in the kitchen before sitting down to watch the morning news. I had no plans for the morning, and after I discovered it was raining and a bit colder than usual, I was glad. I was in serious need for groceries, but that could wait until after lunch, and hopefully the rain would at least be slower then.

Esme and I chased Emmett around the apartment all morning until he finally crashed. I carried him into Esme's room and placed him on the bed. After Esme put pillows around him to keep him from falling off, I led her to my room and pulled her down on the bed with me. We lay on our backs, just enjoying being together.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. "You know, I could use a nap, too."

Esme laughed and rolled closer to me. "Well, you can't say I didn't warn you. Active, remember?"

I nodded. "You certainly weren't lying. I thought I was in good shape, but I guess I was wrong." I turned to kiss her forehead and let my lips linger for a few seconds.

"Have I told you how incredible you are? Because you are." I continued before giving her a chance to answer. "I cannot imagine doing all of this alone while still working."

She sighed. "I'm not going to lie and say it's easy, but I do enjoy it."

I could tell by her tone that she was being completely sincere, and I wouldn't doubt her ever.

"You always wanted to be a mother," I reminisced. "And I always knew you would be good at it. You're a wonderful mother to Emmett. I don't think he could find a better Mommy than you."

I opened my eyes and turned to face her. Esme's eyes were overflowing with tears, but she had a huge smile stretching across the lower part of her face.

"Do you mean it, Carlisle?" she asked. "I just…I try so hard, and I worry it will never be enough. I want Emmett to have everything and I want to be everything to him, but I just don't know. Sometimes I feel so alone and I don't know how I can raise him by myself." She was so choked up she barely managed to get the words out, but I understood.

"Esme, yes. You are amazing with Emmett. He is well cared for and extremely happy. You love him so much, and I know he can tell. He loves you, too, and I love seeing you two together. As for being alone, you never have to worry about that again. You're here with me, and I'm never going to let you get away from me again. I would love it if you allowed me the opportunity to be anything for Emmett."

The tears started flowing faster, and I did my best to kiss them away. No more words were needed at this point, so I closed my eyes again and held Esme to me. Her tears eventually stopped, and we rested comfortably with her nestled into my side while her casted arm lay across my waist.

I finally moved enough to look at my watch. It was approaching afternoon, so I knew we needed to actually get dressed for the day so we could eat
some lunch and head to get groceries.

I held Esme impossibly tighter to me. I almost had no desire to move, but the errands had to be completed at some point.

"Sweetheart, as much as I'm enjoying this lazy Sunday, perhaps we should get ready to go get some lunch and groceries."

Esme agreed and reluctantly removed herself from my arms. After several kisses, she quietly went back to her room to get what she needed to take a shower. I gathered towels for her and placed them in my bathroom since it was bigger. She would need the extra room to maneuver with her cast.

When Esme returned, I helped her wrap her cast up and then left her to shower in peace. While she was showering, I attempted to straighten the living room. Emmett's toys were scattered around, and if there wasn't a tripping hazard, I probably wouldn't move them.

Having a child around brought so much unexpected joy to my life. I had always wanted to have children, especially with Esme, but I had no idea it would feel like this. My heart felt like it would explode every time Emmett smiled at me, talked to me, hugged me, or kissed me. Pretty much everything he did filled my heart to capacity. A lot of work was needed to take care of him, but it was worth it.

It didn't worry me too much when Esme doubted her abilities as a mother. I had a feeling most women did that at some point in their lives. I was hoping that Esme could maybe talk to Carmen. Getting another perspective was never a bad thing and I knew Carmen would be happy to help support her.

After Esme was finished, I took a quick shower before getting dressed. Esme soon came back into the room with what looked like a nervous expression on her face.

"What's the matter, Sweetheart?"

"Um…can you help me?" she asked quietly. I noticed her cheeks becoming flushed and she looked down.

"Of course I'll help you. What do you need?"

She walked toward me with her head still lowered. "I can't fasten my jeans," she all but whispered. I silently laughed, not wanting her to think I was making fun of her. I found it funny she would be so embarrassed, but I could understand how her restrictions would make her feel like an invalid.

I silently reached forward and gently fastened the button on her jeans. Once they were secure, I put my finger under her chin to tilt her head up. I kissed her softly and she sighed against my lips before moving hers along with mine.

"Thank you," she said after we separated.

"It's my pleasure. Please don't be embarrassed. I will do anything for you no matter how small the task."

"I know. I just feel so helpless sometimes."

I nodded. I knew she would feel that way. After doing everything for herself, having someone take care of her like she deserved would be an adjustment.

"It won't be long before you can use your arm again. It will be over before you know it."

"Six weeks at least," she mumbled which made me chuckle softly.

"Well, it could be less. I just gave you an estimate. We'll go to the orthopedic doctor this week and get a better idea, okay?"

This thought seemed to brighten her mood, and she kissed me once more before heading back to finish getting ready.

I also had to help Esme brush her hair. She had an easier time asking me, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I hoped she would always let me brush her hair. It had always been so soft and still was, and the beautiful caramel color was also still the same. I felt bad I couldn't do more to help her style it, but thankfully Esme was fairly low maintenance with her hair. She instructed me on how to part it and then put cream in it. After that, we were both dressed and ready to go.

Esme started making a grocery list. I had never made one before; I had always just gone in and threw whatever looked good into the cart. Esme's method was a bit more complex. She wanted to plan most of our meals out in advance so she would know what groceries to get. I was very excited at the prospect of having home cooked meals now. Take-out and cereal were no longer very appetizing when someone was offering to cook.

While Esme was working on the list, I went to wake Emmett up and get him dressed. Esme had already laid out his clothing for the day so all I had to do was put the items on him.

Emmett was still fast asleep when I walked in the room. I decided not to wake him right away, so I scooted him down the bed to be able to reach him better. He didn't stir at all as I changed his diaper which made the process a lot easier. I was really proud of how comfortable I was becoming with all the daily tasks involving a toddler. A week ago I never would have thought I could change and dress a baby by myself.

Emmett finally started rolling around as I was trying to change his onesie. After I had his little blue jeans, socks, and shoes on, his eyes slowly opened.

"Hey there, buddy," I said softly as I finished tying his tennis shoes. I helped him sit up before putting his sweatshirt over his head. He yawned and rubbed his eyes before sliding off the bed to the floor.

"Go find Mommy," I told him as he slowly walked toward the door. I grabbed the diaper bag and checked to make sure it actually had diapers in it and anything else that might be needed.

When I got back to the kitchen, Esme was preparing a cup of water for Emmett. She already had the water in the cup, but she was having difficulties screwing the lid on. I walked up behind her and kissed her cheek before tightening the lid for her.

"Thank you," she said sweetly as she handed the cup to Emmett.

"My pleasure," I replied. I went to the closet to find my large umbrella, and Esme placed her grocery list in her purse. After Esme took an over-the-counter pain pill, I grabbed Emmett and we left the apartment.

I drove to McDonald's and we ate a small lunch. I felt really bad about feeding Esme and Emmett unhealthy food with me being a doctor, but there wasn't much I could do before grocery shopping. By the time we finished eating, the rain had slowed down as I had predicted.

Our grocery shopping experience was far different than any I had ever had. I pushed the cart with Emmett strapped securely in the seat while Esme picked the items off the shelves. Her thorough list made everything much easier and quicker. I could tell Esme was a pro at managing money and getting the most for a dollar.

Emmett grinned, talked, and kicked his legs happily the whole time, still in a good mood from his nap. The three of us out shopping together gave me a warm feeling. I knew from an outsider's point of view, we looked like a happy little family, which was exactly what we were morphing into. Many people smiled at us as we walked by, specifically at Emmett. Several women even told me how cute my son was. Esme was close enough to hear them, but her only reaction was to smile brightly and keep going.

After making sure we had everything on the list, including a box of diapers for Emmett and toiletries for Esme, we went to the check out. Esme and I worked it out that I would pay this time, and she could pay next time. I would just as well pay all the time, but I would never go back on our agreement. I wanted Esme to be comfortable living with me, and if she felt the need to have a financial input, I would let her.

Once we finished checking out, we went back out to the car. The rain had almost stopped completely, so I was able to get everything into the trunk without getting soaking wet.

Back at the apartment, Esme and I put all of the groceries away while Emmett ran around like an unstoppable ball of energy. With the refrigerator and pantry full, we continued with our lazy Sunday. Esme and I tried to watch a movie, but having Emmett climbing all over us and the furniture made it difficult to concentrate.

I volunteered to make dinner, and Esme insisted on helping me. Together we made chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. We both thought warm soup would go well with the dreary weather.

Since Emmett didn't have an afternoon nap, he was ready to pass out right after dinner. We tried to keep him awake as long as possible to prevent him from waking up too early in the morning, but he started becoming incredibly cranky. We had no choice but to change him for bed early. After Emmett was ready for bed, he drank some milk while Esme rocked him to sleep.

Once I put Emmett in his bed, Esme and I both changed into our pajamas. It was still early, but comfortable clothes would be better to relax in. I pulled our leftover cheesecake out of the refrigerator, got a fork from the drawer, and went to sit on the couch to wait for Esme.

Esme joined me shortly and snuggled into my side. I placed my arm around her and kissed her head.

"Have I told you that I never want to leave this position?" she asked.

I chuckled. "I think you might have mentioned something like that before."

"Well, I mean it. I don't think you're ever going to get rid of me."

"I can assure you I will never even try to get rid of you. You're stuck with me."

We took turns feeding each other the cheesecake this time, and Esme giggled when she almost missed my mouth. When our desert was finished, I tried to find something for us to watch on TV. After channel surfing and not finding anything good, I turned the TV off and turned on some soft music.

Esme hummed along with the music quietly with her head against my shoulder. I rested my cheek on top of her head and enjoyed the moment.

"Do you ever feel like we're moving too fast?" Esme asked suddenly.

I thought about her question and my answer. I could understand how it could be seen that we were moving too fast, but at the same time, this was a decade in the making. We already knew each other and had dated before. Soon I would be asking her to marry me. I didn't feel like our unwanted separation should keep us from moving on.

"I guess some people might think we're moving too fast, but I don't really think so. I mean, think about how long we've been in love. I know for a fact I never stopped loving you, and I bet you never stopped loving me." She nodded in agreement, so I continued.

"If anything, we might be moving too slow," I said, only slightly joking. "It's true that we've only been back together for a few days and now you live with me, but it's not like we were strangers. I think we should just focus on what feels right to us. And this," I held her tighter, "feels completely right to me."

She nodded once more and placed her hand in mine. "Thank you," she said quietly. "You always know what to say to me. I'm still trying to work through all of my feelings, and it helps having you here to help get rid of unneeded concerns. You have no idea how much I appreciate it."

"You never have to thank me. I'm happy to help you with anything you might need, including dealing with your feelings. I'll always be here for you." I knew Esme had been lacking a constant support system in her life, and I was truly happy to be that for her now.

We stayed on the couch for a while until both of us decided it was time for bed. She took one of her prescription pills, and I kissed her goodnight before going to our separate rooms.

I lay awake in bed for a while thinking about the day to come. It would certainly be a busy one, with our meeting with the lawyer and the family dinner. As I said my prayers, I asked God to be with us, especially during the meeting with the lawyer. Whatever was to come would most likely greatly influence where we went from here. I finally allowed sleep to overcome me while thinking of the wonderful potentials of our future.

Sorry this chapter is mostly fluffy filler, but I don't think you can ever have too much fluff :). I had to include it to get ready for the next chapter which will be really important and longer than this chapter.