A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews! That last chapter got the most reviews out of all of them, so I'm assuming you really like Rosalie and Jasper! ;) Sorry I'm a little late with this update, but the holidays were a little crazy.

I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last one!

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

Esme POV

"Where's Jasper's nose?"

I watched as he flashed a sly grin at me, obviously knowing what was coming. He finally brought his index finger up to the tip of his nose and stared at me with wide, excited eyes.

"Yay! That is your nose, buddy," I cheered as I pulled him in for a tight hug as I placed kisses all over his face. His joyous giggle filled the room, and he was just as happy as he was when we started our little game.

Jasper and I were finally getting able to spend some one-on-one time together. After Carlisle had left to go to the meeting with Peter and the social worker, I started reading to Rosalie and Jasper. I only got through two books before Rosalie was napping in my lap. Jasper wasn't anywhere close to sleeping, so I let Charlotte take Rosalie while I spent time with the precious little boy.

He had already successfully identified his eyes, ears, mouth, and now nose, as well as mine. I was amazed by how smart both Rosalie and Jasper were, but Jasper especially. He knew so much even if he wasn't speaking, and I wanted to make sure to find him a way to communicate. Asking and having him point seemed like a really good option so far. My reward of hugs and kisses was welcomed each time, which I was thankful for. Affection was always shown in our family, and it hated to think that it would make Jasper or Rosalie uncomfortable.

Once I stopped the kisses, Jasper calmed down and rested his head against my shoulder. I took his soft sigh as a sign he was ready for a nap.

"Are you sleepy, baby?" I asked softly as I lightly stroked his hair.

He nodded, so I leaned back against the couch, getting as comfortable as possible, and covered him with his blanket. He snuggled closer and placed his arms around my neck, only to hold some of my hair in his hand. I still wasn't sure what Emmett, and now Jasper, liked about my hair, but I was glad I was already in the habit of wearing it down. If holding it helped Jasper sleep, then I was all for it.

Our night had been long, and I wasn't sure how much sleep Jasper actually got. Rosalie woke me up twice, and he was awake both times. Based on Carlisle's description of their night together, I had a feeling he had been awake more than the two times even if I wasn't aware. It was hard to tell if Jasper's resistance to sleep was because of the trauma he experienced or if it was just his age. I knew it wasn't uncommon for children to reach a certain age and not need as much sleep. My approach was going to be the same as with Emmett: if he needed sleep, I would let him sleep, and if not, I couldn't force it. Jasper's deep, slow breathing against me showed that he most definitely needed sleep, so I kissed his head and remained unmoving as to not disturb him.

With Jasper sleeping peacefully, I turned my attention to Charlotte. She had her eyes closed as she snuggled with Rosalie on the bed, but I couldn't tell if she was sleeping or praying. My bet was on praying after seeing her hand slowly rubbing Rosalie's back. We were taking "pray without ceasing" to a whole new level, but I knew it was the best thing to do.

I hated feeling helpless in this situation, but I knew God wouldn't let us down. If this was in His plan then I didn't have to be worrying about how everything would turn out. But with both Rosalie and Jasper asleep, I had nothing else to focus my attention on. And without my mind being busy, worry started to creep in.

I tried to focus on the feeling of Jasper's rising and falling chest pressed against mine or the soft sounds Rosalie made while she slept. But the more I observed, the more I worried about losing them which made me want to find a new way to pass the time. I was just about to close my eyes to pray when Charlotte opened hers. She smiled softly at me, and I tried to smile back. My heart wasn't totally in it, but she seemed know and understand.

"Everything will be all right," she whispered, repeating Carlisle's words to me.

I sighed and nodded. "I know. I just wish I knew what was going on, and I'm so scared that the social worker will find some reason to not let us have the kids. I hate that I can't stop worrying."

"You're a mommy. I think it's your job to worry," she assured me. "But I'm sure this will work out."

"I wish I had your confidence," I mumbled.

"I think you do," she said softly. "It's buried deep behind the worry, but you have the same confidence. You feel like you're where you're supposed to be, don't you?"

I tilted my head down to look at Jasper as he slept. His lips curled into a small smile as he rested peacefully, and he instinctively snuggled closer to me. As I watched him, I knew there was nowhere else that I needed to be. Charlotte was right. Deep down, I knew that this was right.

"See?" she continued. "God has put you here for a reason, and I might be assuming too much, but I really don't think His plan for you includes giving you these two precious blessing for two days only to take them away."

"The timing is just crazy, though. I mean, Carlisle and I were almost finished with the process to begin adopting, but I expected to have to wait another couple of months before it would even be possible to start searching for the right child for our family. And now after just two days, we could be bringing two children home. I never would have imagined this." I shook my head slowly, still trying to come to terms with how quickly everything had happened.

"God's timing is kind of funny, huh?" she pondered quietly. "It's almost always different than our timing, but so much better in the end."

"Like this baby," she continued, bringing her hand up to rub her stomach. "Peter and I wanted a baby, and we wanted a baby to come about right after we got married. Of course, things didn't work out the way we wanted them to. But I believe it's better this way. We would have loved our child no matter when he or she came into existence…but this baby…this little girl will now be even more special. After all our years of trying, our love was able to grow. This baby will never be able to doubt that she is loved or wanted because we want her more than anything else.

"And you and Carlisle wanted and still want a baby. It hasn't happened yet, but I think this is why," she said, looking down at Rosalie and over at Jasper. "You are meant to have them, and if you had a baby, this wouldn't be possible. For one thing, you wouldn't even be considering adoption, and even if you were, it wouldn't be very likely that they would give you two toddlers when you have a toddler and a baby at home.

"That's why I'm confident, Esme. You and Carlisle both feel like this is where you're supposed to be. I can see it in your eyes and in the way you are with them. You are meant to be Rosalie and Jasper's parents."

I was amazed by the conviction Charlotte could speak with while remaining quiet. As I thought about what she said, I was also amazed that her words made me feel so much better.

I had never thought about things the way she was. What if we hadn't gotten pregnant because we were meant to do something different? Maybe God was planning to use us for something bigger than bringing a baby into the world right now. Maybe we were meant to take in two precious angels who were already here and show them the love they so desperately needed.

I felt a large, genuine smile spreading across my face. The worry was still there, but I felt so much better.

"Thank you, Char," I whispered. "You made me feel so much better. I'm so blessed to have a best friend like you. I love you."

"Oh, Es. I love you, too," she smiled. "I'll do whatever I can to ease your fears. You've been here for me through my whole pregnancy, hormones and all. I know how hard that must be for you."

My smile remained as I shrugged my shoulders the best that I could with Jasper lying on me. At first, it had been hard for me to see the joy that being pregnant brought Charlotte and Peter when I wanted it so much for Carlisle and me. But I quickly got over it and was sincerely happy for them. Being supportive was something I didn't even have to think about. Friends were there for each other.

"I know, I know. You would be there for me no matter what," she teased. "But I still can't thank you enough. Helping you with Rose and Jasper is my way to return the favor."

I nodded, and closed my eyes to relax. Charlotte really had helped me calm down, but I still felt the need to pray. Turning over my worries to God made me feel even better, and for the first time all morning, I was confident everything would work out.

Jasper and Rosalie hadn't stirred at all through our whole conversation, which confirmed that they did need sleep, probably because their bodies were still recovering. It was a prime time for them to napping, with the room calm for once. The nurses had left us alone all night and all morning which was most likely Peter's doing. Charlotte was with us, so it wasn't like we needed any extra nurses coming to bother them.

I opened my eyes to watch Jasper as his facial expressions changed in his sleep. Mostly, the small smile stayed on his lips, and I was glad he was having happy dreams. I couldn't resist placing the side of my head against his and breathing him in. He and Rosalie both now had my favorite clean baby scent thanks to the bath. It reminded me of all the times I had snuggled with Emmett after giving him a bath. He didn't always like to snuggle now that he was older, but I hoped I would be getting another snuggle buddy out of Rosalie, Jasper, or maybe even both.

The clock on the wall ticked away, but when I looked at it, I found that not that much time had passed. I had no idea how long the meeting was going to take, but I had a feeling the wait would be much longer.

All of a sudden, there was a knock on the closed door, jarring both Charlotte and I from our thoughts. We looked at each other, debating whether to call out to the person on the other side of the door or not. I didn't want to risk waking the kids up, especially after we had already had a risky conversation. Our minds were made up for us, however, when the door opened without permission being given.

I was assuming it would be a nurse, finally coming to interrupt our little bubble of peace. But when Carlisle entered the room, I was immediately both relieved and terrified.

"Carlisle," I whispered as he stepped into the room. "What are you…?"

He interrupted me by holding his hand up, gesturing for me to wait a minute. He smiled as he looked first at Rosalie and then at Jasper, before going back outside the room.

I looked over at Charlotte with what was probably a confused expression, but she shrugged her shoulders, silently telling me that she didn't know what was going on either. Carlisle shouldn't have been back so soon, and my heart immediately fell as I assumed the worst had happened. This was it. This was probably one of the last chances I would have to hold a sleeping Jasper. I held him closer to me and placed a kiss on his head as an uncontrolled tear ran down my cheek.

"Esme, what's wrong?" Carlisle asked softly, suddenly kneeling at my side. I looked over at him, and he reached over to wipe the tear from my face.

"I'm sorry," I said in a broken whisper. "It's not happening is it? This is the end. I just don't know how I'm going to…"

My breath began hitching as a lump got caught in my throat, but my face was soon held in Carlisle's hands as he forced me to focus on him.

"What are you talking about, sweetheart?" he asked, confusion clearly written on his face. "What is this the end of?"

I took a deep breath to try to compose myself. I knew if I started sobbing, I would wake Jasper, and he definitely didn't need to see me in that state.

"You're back so early," I whispered once my breathing had calmed slightly. "What happened? I assumed the meeting didn't go well, did it?"

"Oh, Esme," he said in what sounded like a chuckle. That confused me more, so I quickly blinked away the tears in my eyes in order to see him better. Once my vision was clear, I found that he was indeed smiling.

"The meeting went better than 'well,'" he confessed in a way which made it almost impossible to doubt his sincerity. "I think my word to describe it would be 'incredible' or even 'unbelievable.'"

"Really?" My smile began to grow once more as I sniffled and listened to what Carlisle was actually saying.

He nodded. "Yes really, sweetheart. That's why I'm back so soon. There weren't any problems. In fact, there's someone waiting in the hallway who wants to see you if that's okay."

I had no idea who could be at the hospital to see me, but I nodded my assent anyway. The relief was finally starting to set in, and I probably would have agreed to anything Carlisle asked of me. Carlisle went to the door and stepped out, only to return a few seconds later.

He came back to my side, but this time he chose to sit beside me on the couch. I guess after my mini-breakdown he felt I needed the extra support. I wasn't going to argue against it, and I did always feel the most content in my husband's arms. I leaned against his side as he draped his arm around my shoulder and kissed my head. After taking another deep breath, I knew I was ready to learn more about what was going on.

I felt like I was waiting minutes when it was only seconds before the door opened all the way, and Peter slowly entered. I wasn't surprised to see him, but I was surprised to see who was behind him- none other than Mrs. Cope. I turned my head to look at Carlisle, hoping that he would help ease the sea of confusion that was still raging inside of me. But all he did was continue to smile and focus on Mrs. Cope. Cleary he wasn't thrown off at all by her presence.

Peter closed the door quietly behind Mrs. Cope before moving closer to the bed to stand by Charlotte. He leaned down to whisper something into her ear, and her gasp combined with her watery eyes and wide smile showed that this was indeed happy news they had to tell. I wished Carlisle would tell me what had happened, but I didn't doubt that he had a good reason to make me wait.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cullen," Mrs. Cope whispered, interrupting my thoughts.

"Esme, please," I corrected softly. "Good morning to you as well, Mrs. Cope. What brings you here today?"

Mrs. Cope smiled widely and placed her hand over her mouth to hold in a laugh, but Carlisle and Peter failed to disguise their snickering. The day was getting stranger by the minute, and I started to wonder if they had all gone crazy or something.

"I'm sorry, Mrs…Esme," Mrs. Cope said once she had controlled her amusement. "I didn't mean to laugh. It's just that your husband asked me the same thing a few minutes ago."

I looked beside me, and Carlisle nodded before kissing my temple. Well that explained the laughter, but it still didn't explain why she was here or what was going to happen with Rosalie and Jasper.

"It seems you and your husband are quite alike," she continued. "It took him a few minutes to figure out why I was here as well. But I won't stay long since the children are sleeping. I just wanted to see these two who seemed to have captured everyone's hearts."

So Mrs. Cope came up here to see Rosalie and Jasper, and she came with Peter and Carlisle. They must have told her about them, but they were in a meeting with a social worker. But that had to mean…

"Oh!" I gasped, and everyone turned to smile at me. "That means you're…"

"Yes," she nodded. "I'm Rosalie and Jasper's case worker and now yours as well. I have to fill out some paperwork and talk to your lawyers, but everything should be good to go this afternoon."

"But how? I didn't think you handled cases like this." I had known Mrs. Cope was a social worker, but somehow my mind did not make the connection at first. She had helped us with Emmett's adoption which had been a very different case than this. I had never even thought to hope that Rosalie and Jasper would have her for a case worker.

"I don't usually, but since the case was urgent, they gave it to me," she explained. "Or as Dr. Cullen said, God has smiled on us. I'm so happy to be able to do this for you and to get to spend more time with your family. Rosalie and Jasper are beautiful, and I can tell how much you love them already, so hopefully I can get all this finished and you can get out of here as soon as possible."

I was almost speechless. Carlisle was right about this being unbelievable, and I was afraid to think that it was going to be this easy. Tears started to fill my eyes again, this time out of happiness. Rosalie and Jasper were going to be ours. I would get to be their mother, and Carlisle would get to be their father. No one could stop us from loving and taking care of them.

"Mrs. Cope," I mumbled while trying to blink back my tears. "I really wish I could hug you right now."

She came over to stand in front of the couch and grabbed my hand. "That's all right, dear," she said while squeezing her hand against mine. "Dr. Cullen already hugged me twice, and I'd hate for you to wake up this little one. He looks like he's very peaceful.

"And I'll be back in a few hours if you want to hug me then," she said with a wink. "So you enjoy your morning and make any preparations you need to while I get all the messy stuff taken care of, okay?"

"We'll get right on that," Carlisle said. "I'm sure my aunt will be thrilled to be able to do some more shopping."

Peter, Charlotte, and I laughed, knowing that Carlisle was right. Carmen was about to have a field day with helping us prepare to bring Rosalie and Jasper home. It still seemed so unbelievable. They were coming to live with us, to their new home.

Mrs. Cope smiled and nodded. She turned to leave, but I didn't let go of her hand which stopped her from moving.

"Thank you," I whispered once she had turned back to me. "I wish I could say more because you're doing something incredible by helping us, and I feel like we'll owe you forever. So just… thank you."

"No," she said shaking her head. "It's you two who are doing something incredible. I'm just doing my job, and having cases like this makes me want to go to work every day. Not all children get a happy ending like this, so thank you for wanting them. You don't owe me anything but to take care of these children, and I know you will."

I nodded as more tears filled my eyes, and Mrs. Cope squeezed my hand once more before leaving. She might have said something to Peter on her way out, but I didn't hear her because my head was quickly pressed to Carlisle neck as I cried my quiet tears of relief.

Carlisle held me the best that he could with Jasper sleeping on me, but I easily found comfort, even in the awkward position. One of his hands was behind my head while the other rested on my back, and even though he whispered soothing words into my ear as he held me, he didn't try to stop my tears. The relief was so sweet as it washed over us, and it felt amazing to finally be rid of the worry.

When my tears ceased, I shifted in Carlisle's grip to look at him. I was surprised to see that his cheeks were also wet and his eyes shining with more unshed tears, but I could tell he was also enjoying the relief. I reached my free hand up to gently wipe the moisture from his face, and he did the same for me. Once our faces were slightly drier, Carlisle placed a tender kiss on my forehead, and I returned to my original position of sitting by his side. I placed my head on his shoulder and sighed in contentment.

"I love you," he whispered against my hair. "And I love the family we are building together."

"I love you, too. They're perfect for us, aren't they?" I pondered as I rubbed Jasper's back. He was miraculously still sleeping after all of the conversations and crying, so it appeared that the only time he couldn't or didn't sleep was at night.

"Mmhmm," he hummed in agreement. "And I hope we'll be good for them, too. This will be a lot for all or us to adjust to, and I hope everything goes smoothly. You know, I talked to E this morning at breakfast."

"How did that go?" I really wasn't surprised that he had confided in his uncle. That was one of the things I respected about him- he respected his aunt and uncle enough to value their opinions and advice. I didn't think a time came in anyone's life when they didn't ever need the advice of someone older or wiser.

"It was good, and I felt a lot better afterwards," he said. "They're completely behind us, and I think his biggest piece of advice was to be patient while always showing love and protection. I think we can manage that, don't you?"

I nodded against him. Love was something we had in abundance, and Rosalie and Jasper would always be safe with us. Patience wasn't a bid deal either; just being able to bring them home was a big enough blessing, and I was sure everything else would fall into place as it was meant to be in our lives.

After sitting quietly for a few minutes, I noticed that Charlotte and Peter were no longer in the room, but I had no idea how long they had been gone. My guess was that they had left to give us some privacy, and my suspicions were confirmed when Charlotte sheepishly peeked her head in the door. I raised my eyebrow when I saw her, questioning what she was doing, but then I smiled when she led Peter into the room behind her.

"Sorry," she whispered as she handed me a new bottle of water. "We wanted to give you two some time together. It's a big day, huh?"

I nodded and thanked her for the water. She also had a bottle for Carlisle which she handed to him before going back to sit on the bed with Rosalie. The water was very refreshing, and I was glad Charlotte had been so thoughtful. After taking care of my thirst, my brain registered how tired I was. The emotional rollercoaster I had been on had drained me, and it was still morning. I couldn't contain the yawn that escaped me which made Carlisle chuckle softly.

"You should rest while they're sleeping, sweetheart," he said, rubbing my arm lightly. "I have to leave anyway to go home and get everything ready. Is there anything particular that you want me to do? I know we need car seats for sure, but is there anything else that is of vital importance for tonight?"

I had been so focused on just getting them home that I hadn't really thought about what to get for their rooms or anything like that. The most important thing was getting beds, but I knew Carmen and Eleazar had some extra ones that we could borrow until I had a chance to pick out exactly what I wanted. They would also need more clothing, but Carmen had been on one shopping trip already, so there was probably enough to last at least another day or two.

I explained my idea to Carlisle, and he agreed that borrowing would probably be the best thing for the night, especially on such short notice. He left a few minutes later to go shopping for some car seats and to talk to Carmen and Eleazar about what we needed. I had no doubt that they would be ready to help and that everything would be all set for us by the time the kids were discharged.

Peter also left the room when Carlisle did to go check on his other patients, leaving Charlotte and I to ourselves once more. Our conversation was so much livelier, but still quiet, and I actually felt comfortable discussing the future now that we were definitely going to have one with Rosalie and Jasper in it. My mind quickly conjured up ways that I could decorate their rooms, and Charlotte had some good input as well. As soon as things calmed down, I was going to start working on it with Charlotte's help. She had a feeling Peter was going try to make her take some time off after being at the hospital all day, every day for a week, and she knew she would be bored around the house if Peter was at work. Spending time with me was a perfect way to kill two birds with one stone for us as well as give Rosalie and Jasper a chance to socialize in a way they were comfortable.

Our nice talk and my chance for a nap were ended for us when Rosalie began stirring. She would more than likely want me when she woke up, but I didn't want to have to wake Jasper up. I decided to compromise, and Charlotte helped me get Jasper settled on the bed which allowed me to pick up Rosalie. I sat down in the rocking chair and made sure she was in a comfortable position in my lap before I started rocking. I rocked slowly to give her the chance to stay asleep, but her continued stirring showed that her nap was over.

As she woke up, I hugged her against me and kissed her head to let her know she was with me. When she had woken up in the middle of the night, the first thing she had done was to look for me, and I didn't even want to give her a chance to wonder where I was. She had fallen asleep in my lap, so I hoped waking up there would make it easier for her.

I continued rocking as she stretched in my lap, and I tried not to laugh at the cute faces and soft grunting sounds she made. After rubbing her eyes with her fists, she sat up. I knew the moment she recognized where she was because she tensed in my lap, so I rubbed her back to alert her to my presence. She turned toward me immediately when she felt my hand, and I could easily see the smile growing behind her pacifier.

"May," she whispered as she lazily laid her head against my chest.

I felt like my heart might burst after seeing her so happy to see me. It was a wonderful feeling to know that after everything she had suffered through, I was the one who made her feel safe. Her beautiful smile was something I was getting used to seeing, and I hoped it would appear even more after we were in an environment that wasn't so threatening.

"Hey, baby girl," I said as I kissed her head. "Did you have a good nap?"

She sighed and snuggled closer, which I took as an affirmative answer. I rocked in silence for a few more minutes, letting her fully wake up at her own pace. When she finally sat up again, she was wide-eyed and alert as she scanned the room.

When Rosalie's eyes made it around to the bed, Charlotte greeted her. I chuckled softly as Rosalie suddenly became shy and tried to hide. Charlotte wasn't offended, though. Shyness was still much preferred over fear. Once she came out of hiding, her focus was on Jasper.

"J?" she asked, looking up at me while pointing at the bed.

I nodded. "Jasper's taking a nap, too, but when he wakes up we'll find something fun to do, okay?"

She stared at her brother for a few more moments before showing her acceptance of my plan with a small nod.

Jasper didn't keep his sister waiting for long, and his mood was just as cheerful once he was awake. Charlotte and I spent the rest of the morning trying to find things that would hold their attentions. Rosalie was still enjoying her baby doll, and Jasper enjoyed hesitantly exploring the room. I hated that he felt the need to look to one of us for permission to do anything. He was a toddler and deserved to be able to explore the world around him. I didn't want the rest of his life to be spent in fear of someone hurting him for anything he did. Hopefully, his hesitancy would be one of the issues that would resolve itself in time, but until then, I was ready to encourage and show him that he didn't have to be afraid anymore.

Unfortunately, we all had to eat hospital food for lunch, but it wasn't too bad. Rosalie and Jasper seemed to like the pasta dish better than anything else they had been served, and I was just glad they were eating well.

Right after lunch, it was time for Charlotte to unhook Rosalie's IV. The last bag of antibiotics was finished, and even though we were going to have to give her oral ones, it was a relief for her to not be connected to anything. The disconnecting of the tubing was not a big deal, but when Charlotte started to remove the catheter from her hand, it was a different story entirely.

Rosalie was sitting in my lap, and I tried to keep her calm, but my neither my soft words nor my singing did anything to alleviate her fears. When Charlotte started taking off the tape, I had to tighten my hold on Rosalie so she wouldn't escape. I didn't want to have to hold her down, but I couldn't let her move too much and get hurt. She was screaming at an ear-splitting level, and the only good thing was that her crying actually distracted her to the point where she didn't even notice when Charlotte actually removed the catheter.

As soon as Charlotte placed the gauze and tape over the puncture site, I turned Rosalie around and held her head against my shoulder. She finally realized that she wasn't being tortured, and her frantic screams were reduced to hiccupping sobs. I brought her now free hand up to my lips and brushed gentle kisses against the palm and the top over the bandage.

We hadn't been able to keep Jasper from watching, and my heart broke again watching his lip quiver because of the traumatic scene. I quickly pulled him into my lap and tried to comfort them at the same time. Handling both of them at the same time was much easier than I had anticipated. It didn't take long for Rosalie to calm down, and Jasper never did cry after he saw that his sister was okay.

Charlotte handed me a tissue, and I cleaned Rosalie's face. Her nose and eyes remained red, but she was able to show her strength by smiling at me and Jasper. Jasper then hugged her tightly, and I placed my arms around both of them. I closed my eyes to enjoy the moment, once again feeling like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Once Rosalie saw that she no longer had anything stuck in her, she was in a much better mood. She wouldn't look at Charlotte for about half of an hour, but then everything was forgotten.

Since we didn't have any reason why we had to stay in the room, we were able to venture out to the playroom. They loved playing with all the different toys, and I was able to catch of glimpse of what they really liked. Rosalie seemed to love the play kitchen, and Jasper loved anything he could ride on.

We spent most of the afternoon playing, and I also checked in with Carlisle several times. Everything seemed to be coming along nicely at home, and I trusted that Carlisle and Carmen would do a good job. He was going to come back to the hospital when Mrs. Cope was returned, but we had no idea when that would be.

I told Rosalie and Jasper that they were getting to leave the hospital, but I wasn't sure if they understood. I reminded them throughout the day, hoping that it would finally click. I never used the word "home" because I didn't know if they would associate the word with where they used to live with their biological mother. Even if they didn't really understand, they both seemed excited about staying with me and Carlisle.

By late afternoon, we still hadn't heard anything, and we were all tired and starting to become agitated. Rosalie and Jasper eventually became bored with all the toys in the playroom. I knew a change of scenery was definitely in order, but there weren't many places to go in the hospital. Walking the halls was not an option because passing other doctors and nurses was inevitable, and the kids were not comfortable with that.

Peter and Charlotte were both technically not working, so we took Rosalie and Jasper down to Peter's office to wait for Carlisle or Mrs. Cope to call. While we waited, Jasper used the sofa as a trampoline, and I got Rosalie to stand by herself for the first time. I knew she wasn't comfortable enough to walk and probably wouldn't be for a few more days, but being able to stand was a good first step toward her gaining a little bit of independence. Apart from the pain, she just really didn't like to leave my arms. I didn't have a problem with it, but I now had three kids and only two arms. The prospect of all of them needing me at once was a bit daunting.

Carlisle eventually decided to go ahead and come to the hospital even though we still hadn't heard from Mrs. Cope. Jasper was very happy to see him, and surprisingly, Rosalie didn't even bat an eye. She continued to want to keep her distance, but being in the same room as him was no longer a problem. We were both overjoyed at the progress, and even though there was still a long way to go, it was nice to see that our efforts weren't going to waste.

It was dinner time before Mrs. Cope arrived at the hospital. Rosalie and Jasper were both hungry, but they wouldn't go with Charlotte to go get food. They wouldn't even stay with Peter and Charlotte while we met with Mrs. Cope in Carlisle's office, so we had no choice but to take them with us.

Mrs. Cope was very understanding and patient with us and didn't say a word about Rosalie and Jasper wanting to stay with us. In fact, she appeared very happy to see our bond while the kids were actually awake. Being in a room with a new person was not easy for them, and I tried my best to be soothing while listening to what Mrs. Cope had to say.

There had been a delay with some of the paperwork since there was not a father on the birth certificate which was why it had taken so long. Mrs. Cope explained that there was really no way to find out who their father was, so we didn't have to worry about it; the technicality had only come up on paper. Carlisle and I had to sign a few papers saying that we were taking full responsibility for the children. It was temporary- only for a week- but Mrs. Cope assured us that it was only because of our unfinished home study. After she visited us, we would then be more paperwork to make us their guardians indefinitely which would eventually lead to adoption.

After we finished signing, we had to set up a time for Mrs. Cope to come to the house. We picked Tuesday morning which would give us some time to settle in and develop some kind of routine. Once that was settled, Mrs. Cope wished us the best and promised to see us the next week. I was finally able to give her a hug, even though Rosalie protested, but she didn't want any more of our thanks. It appeared that a weight had been lifted off her shoulders as well, so in the end, we were all grateful for each other's positions in the situation.

With our meeting finished, it was time for dinner. Carlisle and I both wanted something quick, and the closest and fastest place was the hospital cafeteria. Peter and Charlotte hadn't left yet so we invited them to eat with us. They agreed, and we all made our way down to the cafeteria. Carlisle chose the table for us, and it happened to be the one in the corner where we had shared our first meal after finding each other again. I smirked at him, and he winked so I knew he did it on purpose.

Eating with Rosalie and Jasper was very different than eating with Emmett. Emmett never liked to sit still and always had to be entertained. Many of his terrible two's tantrums stemmed from us making him remain in his seat. Rosalie and Jasper, on the other hand, had no problem with not moving during dinner. It was easy for me to have Rosalie in my lap and alternate feeding her and myself. Carlisle had a similar system going with Jasper, and dinner passed without any mishaps.

We didn't sit around and talk for very long. Having full bellies seemed to make everyone tired, but it had been a long day. Once all our trash was thrown away, we headed back upstairs to get everything ready so we could leave. Peter went to get the discharge papers filled out, and Carlisle and Charlotte packed all of our things up. Carmen had sent some new pajamas with Carlisle, so I got Rosalie and Jasper changed. So far, everything Carmen had picked out was adorable, and I was getting excited to find out what else she had purchased.

Rosalie loved her new pajamas, especially the feet that looked like bunnies. Her precious giggle as she played with them made the pajamas priceless in my opinion. Jasper also liked his that were covered in monkeys and turtles, and having them ready for bed made them even cuddlier than before.

Thanks to the teamwork, it wasn't long before we were ready to go. Peter officially released them from his care and gave us a prescription for Rosalie's antibiotics. Charlotte took Rosalie's temperature one last time to make sure she didn't have a fever. Rosalie was too tired to struggle, but she whimpered until Charlotte was finished. Her temperature was perfect, though, so after we filled two sippy cups with some milk, we made our way to our cars.

Carlisle made sure to walk all the way to my car in the parking deck even though his was close to the main building. I understood his concern. It was dark, and the city could be a dangerous place at night. I unlocked the car, and Carlisle opened the door of the backseat for me. I smiled when I saw the pink car seat he had installed for Rosalie, and I buckled her in before handing her a sippy cup and her baby doll. She tried to reach for me from her seat, so I knew I needed to get in the car as soon as possible. Carlisle gave me a quick kiss and opened my door as well. Once my door was closed and locked, he headed to his car with Jasper in tow.

One thing we definitely needed was a bigger car. There was no way all of us could comfortable fit in either or our cars. Two car seats almost filled the back seat, and I knew there was no way we could squeeze in three.

As I drove, I quickly realized that Rosalie did not like the darkness. There were plenty of street lights, but she became increasingly upset. Once I turned on the interior lights, she calmed down, so I left them on for her. After she had the light and knew I was with her, she started drinking her milk and soon fell asleep.

I didn't know if Carlisle was going to pick up Emmett or not, but when I pulled into our driveway, I noticed Carmen's car was sitting in its usual spot which meant Emmett was more than likely already home. I parked in the garage, and Carlisle pulled up right after me. Jasper had also fallen asleep during the ride home, so we unloaded the cars as quietly as possible.

Carlisle took all of our bags into the house first and then came back to get Jasper. I managed to get Rosalie out of the car without waking her, and Carlisle did the same with Jasper. We walked inside together, and I breathed a sigh of contentment and relief.

We were finally home for good with Rosalie and Jasper. Only days ago we were a family of three which had now turned into a family of five. The feeling was even better than I could have ever imagined.

Carlisle and I carried them into the living room and found Carmen sitting on the couch, Emmett's head lying in her lap. He was sound asleep as well, but Carmen managed to gently lift him off of her so she could come give me a hug.

"Welcome home, darling," she whispered and kissed my cheek. "Everything is ready for you upstairs, and please use everything as long as you need to."

I smiled and nodded which she returned, and she kissed Rosalie's head before moving to Carlisle. After doing the same to him and Jasper, she grabbed her purse to get ready to leave.

"I'll probably see you sometime tomorrow, but call me if you need me or if it's not a good time to come, okay? I love you all, and I'm so glad my new grandbabies are home now."

"Thank you, Carmen," I whispered as tears filled my eyes. "For everything."

"Yes, thank you," Carlisle echoed. "You and Uncle E have helped us so much, and we don't take it lightly. I'll call you when I know what we're doing tomorrow."

Carmen nodded, and blew us another kiss before heading out to her car. Once she was gone, I had no idea where to start. We had three kids to put to bed, but I didn't even know where they were all going.

"So what now?" I whispered to Carlisle. It was almost comical that we had gotten what we wanted, but now I didn't know what to do.

"Well hopefully they'll all stay asleep, at least for a while, so I guess we can put them in bed…but I just don't feel right making Rosalie and Jasper sleep alone during their first night in a new place."

I nodded in agreement. If they woke up and didn't know where they were or where we were, there was no telling what their reaction would be. All I knew was that it wouldn't be pleasant.

"I guess I can sleep with Rosalie," I suggested. "Maybe you can sleep with both boys in our bed. That way Emmett's not excluded."

"Good idea, sweetheart," he smiled. "How about we put them in bed and then try to spend a few minutes together before we pass out, too?"

His plan sounded fantastic. I had missed him, and it had been over a day since our last couch time together. That wasn't very long for some couples, but it was for us. After spending so much time apart, we needed time together every day to reconnect. No time between us was ever taken for granted no matter where it occurred. We connected on some many levels- physically, emotionally, spiritually- and it was important to us to keep all of them intact.

Upon my agreement, we headed upstairs. Carlisle put Jasper in our bed first before going back down to get Emmett. While he was gone, I went to check out the other rooms. I checked Emmett's room first and saw that nothing had been changed. Next I went to the room next to his. I turned on the light and saw that a twin bed had been added and it was made up with a blue and green quilt. I assumed the room was meant for Jasper, and I thought it was a good choice since it was right next door to Emmett.

After looking in for a minute, I went to the room across the hall, and I knew I had found the one I was looking for. A full sized bed had been placed there, and I recognized it as the one that Corin and Jane used at Carmen and Eleazar's house. The pink quilt had traveled with the bed, and the guard rails remained as well.

I pulled down the quilt and gently laid Rosalie down. She sighed but didn't wake, so I placed her baby doll next to her before covering her with the quilt. I left the light on as I snuck out of the room and prayed that she would stay asleep at least until I came back upstairs.

Carlisle had already tucked the boys in and was waiting for me in the hallway, but I wanted to kiss the boys good night before going downstairs. They looked so cute as they both snuggled with their matching stuffed dogs, and I quickly kissed their foreheads before quietly leaving the room.

Once we made it downstairs, Carlisle practically fell back against the couch. I sighed as I joined him and closed my eyes as my head rested against his shoulder. He placed his arm around me, and we sat for a few minutes as we enjoyed the peace and quiet.

"Tired?" he asked, breaking the silence.

I could only hum and nod, but I knew he understood.

"Let me guess. You didn't get a nap did you?"

I chuckled and shook my head. "Rosalie woke up after you left, and Jasper right after her. I've been going non-stop ever since."

"But you're happy, right?" he asked hesitantly. "Because I'm exhausted and feel like I could sleep for a month, but I know I'm in the running for the happiest man ever."

I sat up to look at him, and was met with his brilliant smile.

"Carlisle," I said as I smiled as well. "I don't even have the words for how happy I am. But I'm sorry I've been an emotional wreck today. I've been from one extreme to the other and back again, and now I feel so drained."

"Don't apologize," he said and kissed my forehead. "I understand, but it's to be expected. We were both so worried but then surprised by Mrs. Cope which was incredible. I feel drained as well. Maybe we'll be able to get some sleep tonight."

We returned to sitting in silence, but I could tell Carlisle's hand rubbing my arms lightly was lulling me to sleep.

"I'm sorry," I yawned. "As much as I would like to stay here with you, I think I need to go to bed now before I run out of energy to make it up the stairs."

"Well, I would carry you, but that could end badly for us both at this point."

We both agreed that we didn't want to be falling down the stairs, so we helped each other up before turning out all the lights and locking the doors. We also grabbed the bags that had been left in the kitchen and took them with us upstairs.

When we made it to the hallway, we stopped in the middle and turned to face each other. I giggled as a sense of déjà vu washed over me because the scene reminded me so much of how we said goodnight before we were married.

"Just like the old days, huh?" Carlisle snorted, and I nodded.

"I'll miss you," I whispered as I got as close as I could and gently placed my lips against his.

Carlisle's hands went to my hair, and he held my head as our lips glided over each other. Every kiss we shared was full of so much love, and we were still able to convey it even though we were tired. This kiss was sweet, as they had been lately, but sweet was how we had been feeling. Part of me couldn't wait for the passionate ones to return, but that would probably be a while since I knew we were going to be busy and distracted with the kids.

Once we released each other, I smiled as Carlisle continued to ghost kisses across my whole face, finally ending with three soft ones on my lips. I knew it was his way of telling me that he loved me, and I hugged him to me tightly one more time.

"I love you, too," I sighed as I breathed in his scent. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Hopefully not too early, though," I added as I walked toward the bedroom.

Carlisle chuckled and nodded before heading to bed.

When I walked into the room, I was relieved to see that Rosalie was still sleeping, blissfully unaware that I had left her side. I turned the nightlight on that someone had thoughtfully put in the room and then turned out the overhead light. I crawled into bed, being careful to not jar the bed.

I lay on my back and looked at the ceiling. My eyes started to close involuntary but quickly snapped open when Rosalie whimpered. I looked over and saw that she was still sleeping, so I gently pulled her close to me, letting her head rest on my shoulder. She made a sound that sounded almost like she was mumbling in her sleep, and I smiled as I kissed her head.

I pulled the covers over us, and felt myself start to drift off. I was exhausted, but I could wait for the next day and all the other days we would have together in the future.

A/N: The next update should be sometime during the weekend. I'm in the home stretch with school this semester, so hopefully I'll have more time to write when it's over!

Thanks for continuing to read and review!