It was cold outside.

Carlisle never noticed.

What does it mean to lose some you love? What does it mean when your heart has been shattered into a million pieces and you don't see the point in trying to pick them up again? Carlisle had kept up his act of being himself for Edward and the rest of his family's sake, but inside his heart was more dead than he thought a vampire's heart could ever be. The skies were grey now, and the blood which most vampires lusted after tasted bitter, like poison to him.

He was alone.

It had been over a year now. A year since the Volturi had came in secret, looking for silent revenge. And so they killed her.

Esme. His love.

There was no definite proof that it was the Volturi, but Carlisle knew it. They all knew it. Edward, Alice, Bella. But what could they do? Vampires had no true laws. The Volturi were the only law.

Carlisle had kept his life much the way it had been before. He still worked at the hospital; after all, why let innocent humans die because of his own grief? He didn't feel the satisfaction that he used to in doing his job however. He didn't feel anything at all nowadays.

Nothing except the pain.

He was currently walking through the woods. He had taken to doing this a lot lately, mainly to keep his thoughts away from Edward. No need to make the boy suffer any more than he already had. He liked the earthy smell of the pine trees; the sound of the wind passing through the trees, making it sound as though they were whistling to themselves, or even as though they were having whole conversations with each other. If they could talk, Carlisle wondered, what would they say to each other? Would they see him walk pass and feel sympathy for his pain, or wound they laugh at the fact a predator like himself could mourn so badly for a death of another. Perhaps the wouldn't notice him at all, and they would continue discussing the weather or life or other pointless topics, just like the humans do.

It was at this point that he caught an unusual scent on the wind. He froze. It smelt like vampires. But it also smelt like humans. He couldn't figure it out.

"Carlisle!" A female voice called from behind him. He spun around only to come face to face with Siobhan and her mate, Liam.

"Carlisle, we need your help."

……………

How he did he always manage to get himself into troublesome situations? Couldn't he just refuse for once? No, he always had to be the polite one…The kind one…The bloody pushover. Normally Carlisle wouldn't have grudged anyone at all his help or advice, but he wasn't really in the mood for being himself at the moment. However, it seems that saying "Yes that's fine," and "Of course I can help," is an automatic reaction of his, one that he can't seem stop any more than he can stop drinking blood.

And so he had agreed. Agreed to take on yet another lost child into his little coven. Only this time it wasn't a vampire. Or a shape-shifter. Or even a half-blood. This time it would be a true Child of the Moon.

A real werewolf.

Siobhan's coven had found her, lost and defenceless, somewhere in southern Ireland. She wouldn't tell anyone who she was or why she had been there, but Siobhan didn't think she was dangerous. She did however think that the girl would be safer in Forks instead of Ireland, for if the Volturi decided to hunt her down she could be disguised as one of the shape-shifters. Carlisle didn't mind helping, especially if it was a blow to the Volturi.

Siobhan, Carlisle and the rest of his family were currently at the house. They had all agreed that it would be best for there girl to be here and Alice seemed especially enthusiastic about the girl coming. He had asked her if she had had a vision, but Alice being Alice refused to tell. Jacob, who had been around playing with Nessie at the time, hadn't been so sure about the whole situation but after mentally contacting the other pack down at the reserve he had also agreed to letting the girl stay. Carlisle was sure that Jacob's curiosity had made the decision for him. Liam had left just a moment ago to get the girl who was waiting with Maggie at the edge of the forest. He wasn't really sure what to expect. All he currently knew about her was that she was around seventeen years old and very shy. He didn't even know her name.

He could hear Liam taking to someone outside. Edward announced that the girl was frightened, he could sense it in her thoughts.

"I'll go," Carlisle murmured softly, getting up from the sofa he was currently sitting in. He went through into the hallway and out through the front door. He spotted Liam and Maggie near a dense clump of trees near the edge of the house. Then he spotted the girl leaning against one of the trees.

She looked frightened.

No, she looked terrified.