Carlisle and Esme's story. Wrote in Carlisle's POV

It had been a slow day at the practice. But that was nothing different. There were rarely injuries in the small town I was currently living in. It was nearing six o'clock, almost time for me to go home. I hated the loneliness I had to endure. I missed the long talks I had had with Aro, but going back to Italy was not an option. The Volturi embarked on a life style I was disgusted by.

I was leant back in my leather armchair, hands behind my head. The fire was slowly dying out, each flicking crimson flame disappearing into the glittering coals. I could stay this way for hours, just watching the fire dance in all its scorching beauty. I glanced up at the clock on the wall in front of me. For a human it would have been hard to read it in the dim light, but my sharp vampire eyes read the time perfectly. It was nearly ten minutes to six. I highly doubted I'd get any patients tonight, and so I stood up and began removing my coat from the back of my arm chair. Suddenly the door flew open. the sudden gust of air caused the fire to gasp and die out.

"Rose?" I called. Rose was the fairly pretty receptionist. She was often flustered around me, feeling the need to gabble about nothing in particular and offer me beverages I had no need for. But I didn't dislike her for it; she was kind and intelligent.

She stepped out of the shadows now, her green eyes sparkling slightly in the light from the oil lamp, "Sorry to startle you-" She started, but then she saw my stance and paused, "Were you about to go, Dr Cullen?" She asked.

"Please, call me Carlisle" I reminded her with a smile, "Is there a patient?" I asked.

"Yes, a young girl… She's broken her leg" Rose explained, fumbling with her hands.

"Bring her in," I said, draping my coat over the chair again. I lit two more oil lamps, making the room much brighter.

"Just sit yourself right here…" Rose's voice was soft as she instructed the stranger. There was a quiet yelp of pain, and I turned.

The girl was young, though maybe just venturing into adolescence. Her hair was the colour of caramel, billowing in gentle waves around her heart shaped face. She had her hands wrapped around her left leg, and a pained expression on her lovely face.

"Sorry to trouble you at such a time, Doctor" She said, sucking in her teeth a little after she spoke.

"Its what I'm here for" I reassured her.

"I'll leave you to it…" Rose said. I had almost forgotten she was there. She turned into the corridor and closed the shining oak door behind her.

"How did this happen?" I asked, gesturing to the girl's leg.

"I fell from a tree" At this she blushed, "I just love nature you see. And there was this bird…"

I chuckled, "Nothing wrong with being curious. Lets just hope you're more careful next time…" I walked towards the bed on which she lay.

"My name is Esme" She informed me with a shy smile.

"Please to meet you, Esme. Now if you could just…" I gently pushed away her hands. As I did so, she jumped back.

"Your hands! Their so cold!" She cried. I quickly shrank backwards a little.

"Ah yes, sorry about that. They often are…" I said.

Then she relaxed her position again, and gestured for me to continue. She seemed to watch me in deep interest as I pressed my icy fingers along her leg.

"Don't you have anybody to warm them for you?" She asked, her voice soft. A smile formed on her lips, a sweet smile, though there was a small hint of teasing behind the façade.

"Unfortunately not" I replied. Then I turned to the cupboard beside me. I rifled through a vast and deep drawer until I found the antiseptic I was looking for. I shook some onto a cloth.

"Whats that for?" Esme asked, leaning forwards to look at what I was doing. She winced a little as she moved.

"You've grazed your leg quite badly. I'll have to clean it before we try to repair the bone" I explained.

"Will it hurt?" Esme queried wearily.

"A little, yes" I nodded.

I cringed a little I dabbed the cloth on her multifarious cuts; Esme flinched and winced a lot. For some reason I hated to see her in the flitting pain I was putting her in. I tried to finish my task as quickly as possible.

"And now for the really painful bit" I sighed when I was done.

"I'll just think of the bird" Esme told me, and we both grinned.

AN: After Carlisle and Esme's first meeting, Carlisle moved away and didn't see Esme again for a long time. During this time, he found Edward and turned him into a vampire. But this is Carlisle and Esme's story, so we'll leave that bit out. I'll probably write Carlisle and Edward's story in a different chapter. So this next bit will take us straight to there second meeting.

Not a day went by that I didn't think of Esme. Her adorable face swam through my thoughts. If ever I saw a bird, her name would echo through my mind. But I had to try to accept that I'd never see her again. After all, I had moved to Wisconsin now, away from Ohio. I continued my work as a doctor, eventually getting work at a hospital. I always offered to do the night shift. After all, when did I ever need to go home and rest?

It was the middle of Winter, the temperature a minus something degrees. The perfect excuse for my always arctic skin. I was sat in the main office, a few fellow doctors and nurses surrounding me. We were playing a peaceful game of cards when a sullen faced nurse walked in.

"A young woman was just brought into the morgue" She explained.

One of the elder nurses poured her a large glass of brandy, and then nothing else was said. Soon the card game grew slower as the sky outside grew progessingly darker. It was a cloudless night. The deep black sky was spangled with twinkling stars, like diamonds amongst velvet. The moon was particularly big that night, glowing brightly through the large office window. Soon my work mates left, and I prepared myself for a lonely two hours before I myself would go home.

I had to pass the morgue to get to the main entrance, and as I did, I stopped in my tracks. The air was heavy with a glorious scent. A familiar scent. I unlocked the morgue door, a curious frown on my face. The smell was at its strongest here. And it was coming from the far east wall. The sound of a thudding heart grew louder as I got nearer.

"No…" I whispered in disbeliefe.

Slowly I slid open one of the drawers, and pulled back the crisp white sheet. I gasped. Time may have changed her slightly, but I was undoubtly looking at the face of my dear Esme. Her eyelids twitched and then flicked open.

"Save… me…" She whispered through cracked lips.

"I will… Don't worry" I whispered back.

And before I could stop myself, before I could even think carefully about what I was doing, I had taken her from the cold metal slab and scooped her in my arms. She whimpered, and I cautitiously kissed her forehead, then I was running.

The pale green walls flashed past me in a blur, the floor beneath my feet didn't seem to be there. I was sure I had never ran so fast. Was I running because I knew I didn't have time to waste? Because I was afraid I would be caught? Esme was crying now, glistening tears sliding down her bruised and muddy face. I wondered what mischief she had gotten herself into this time.

"Edward!" I shouted as I flew into the hallway of the small home I shared with my companion. There was no reply, and so I took it to mean he was hunting.

Even though we didn't need them, both of our rooms contained beds. "Keeping up appearances" Edward had told me. I took Esme to my room. My luxurious double bed had never been slept in, the deep blue velvet cover was as fresh as the day I had purchased it. Gently I placed Esme onto it. She opened her eyes again, squinting.

"Its you!" She gasped.

"Sssh" I stroked her luscious hair, kneeling down on the floor beside her, "What happened?" I asked.

Esme began to cry again, fresh tears splattering her cheeks. I began to sooth her again, but she pushed my hands away, instead just taking one of them and holding onto it as if it were all she had left in the world. She repeatedly opened her mouth, but she choked on her words. Finally, she took in a deep breath.

"I threw myself off a cliff" She whispered, closing her eyes, "I was so desperately unhappy, you have no idea"

I was struggling to compose myself, "Why?" I asked.

"I was married, though I didn't want to be. I wanted to be a teacher, but my father was so insistent that I married Charles. He was from a good family, a rich family. I was sure he'd be everything I needed. But… it didn't go the way I wanted it to" She paused, making the choking sound again.

"Would you like some water?" I asked.

"Mmm" Esme replied.

All in the same second, I left to pour her some from the kitchen and then came back. She looked so frail when I looked at her from the doorway. The cliff dive had almost completely broken her. I helped her sit up and pressed the glass to her lips. A few sips later, and she was ready to carry on.

"Charles had such a vicious temper. The slightest thing and he would lash out at me. But I couldn't tell anybody. It was something to be ashamed of, surely? Something that would cause embarrassment for our families?" Esme sighed, "He caused me so much pain, in so many ways"

It took a lot to get me angry, but now I was livid. My hand shook in Esme's, but I knew I had to keep control. I couldn't startle her in the slightest. And so, unable to speak, I simply nodded.

"Then he left to fight in the war" A faint smile tugged at her lips, "And I was the happiest I'd been in a long time. It seemed like I could finally live my life. But of course, he was soon back. I don't know why, but he was suddenly worse than before. If I had ever feared for my life at the beginning, I certainly feared for it now. Then I became pregnant. But how could I bring a baby into that house? With that… monster? So I went to live with my second cousin. But I could never really escape Charles. He was there on the cuts and bruises on my skin, in my nightmares, behind me in the mirror whenever I looked…" Esme tried to sit up again.

"Here" I helped her again, patiently waiting for the rest of her story.

"Nobodies ever shown me kindness. Nobody but you" Esme smiled fully this time, but then her face darkened, "I had the baby. A beautiful baby boy. But he was taken ill just days after his birth, and he… died" Her eyes were brimming, ready to spill again.

"Its alright, Esme. You don't need to go on. I understand now" I took the hand I was holding and kissed it.

"Will I die, Carlisle?" Esme asked, her voice gripped with fear. Suddenly her grip was tight.

"No, I won't let you" I stood up, "Sleep now, Esme. And I'll be here in the morning. I'll never leave your side" I crossed the room to sit in the wicker rocking chair.

"Thank you" Esme closed her eyes, and then all was quiet.

True to my word, I never left. I watched Esme sleep all night, and then for most of the morning. But as the fiery orange dawn broke through the window, streaming the room in glorious sunlight, Esme's breathing detiorated. She was rasping, wheezing for breath. I rushed to her side, taking her hand again.

"Don't let me die Carlisle!" Esme begged between deep gulps of air.

I knew it had to do it. I didn't want to. I would of given anything to make her better without resorting to what I was about to do. But there was nothing that save her now. Nothing but my venom…

"Forgive me" I said, and then I lunged for her neck.

I buried my head in her sweet smelling hair, my lips dancing over her soft, milky skin. My teeth softly grazed her neck, then I sunk them in. Esme screamed, ear splitting and excruciating. She tried to fight me off, but I carried on. When I was sure I had filled her with enough venom, I fell back onto the floor. I covered my face with my trembling hands, my ears filled with the sound of her shrieks. I rocked backwards and forwards, telling her repeatedly that I was sorry, that I loved her. I was thankful that Edward was not home.

As her cries grew to soft whimpers, and she stopped thrashing her arms and legs, I leant back against the wall. For three days I watched her change. My Esme. My soul mate.

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