The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: # 1

Pen Name: GemmaH

Pairing/Character(s): Edward x Bella, Carlisle x Esme

Rating: K

Word count: 497

Photo prompts can be found here:

thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

"You know his bed hasn't been slept in again?" Carlisle says, as he saunters into the kitchen, hands working to fasten the knot in his tie. His words confuse me.

"Are you sure?" I ask him, frowning a little as I fill two mugs from the coffee pot. "His car's on the driveway."

"It is?" He's already walking out of the kitchen and down the hallway. I hear him open the front door as I lift the plates for breakfast down from the cupboard. He's barely gone for half a minute when I hear him calling me. His voice is strained and I feel my heart leap in my chest, as the sudden fear that something has happened to Edward consumes me.

"Esme? Come see this." I hurry out to see what has him so rattled.

He's standing beside Edward's car, his hands on his hips. He gestures to the back window as I approach, shaking his head as he begins to pace in a circle. The glass is partly misted up, but peering through a clear spot I can see our son on the back seat, fast asleep and wrapped around the also sleeping form of Isabella Swan.

"Of all the stupid things…" Carlisle begins.

I'm not mad at Edward, as my husband is. I'm disappointed that he's been this stupid again, especially after the long talk we had about his nineteen year old self dating the seventeen year old daughter of the town's Police Chief, but I'm not mad. How could I possibly be angry when I sat and listened to him tell me how much he loves the girl?

A car pulls up at the kerbside. My heart sinks as I read Forks Police printed in blue on the side of the car as Chief Swan climbs out.

"Carlisle," I call out, with a nod in the direction of the approaching figure. He looks up, his shoulders slumping as he realises the situation just got a whole lot worse.

"Doctor Cullen. Esme," Chief Swan greets us as he approaches. It's hard not to notice the dark circles beneath his eyes that match mine and Carlisle's. We're obviously not the only ones being driven to distraction by the two sleeping teenagers in the car beside us. "Bella's not been home. If she's spent the night with Edward again I'm going to have to send her back to live with her mother. I can't do this anymore." He rubs his face and I feel for the man.

Carlisle shifts; he's put himself between Chief Swan and the car window.

"Edward's asleep in his room, Chief," Carlisle says, the lie slipping easily from his tongue. "I'll have him call you as soon as he wakes up."

"I'd appreciate it," he replies as he turns and leaves.

"You lied," I hiss disapprovingly as he drives away. Carlisle shrugs.

"That's the last time I protect him; this stops right here, Esme."

He reaches down and yanks the door open.