For One More Day

Carlisle's POV

I listened to Alice's report carefully before handing the phone to Esme. When I'd told her my decision, she'd looked ahead for me, and said nothing much about it, but that things should be ok. I sadly listened to Esme's disappointed sigh. Squeezing her shoulder, I nodded.

"Well, all right. Be safe you two. We love you, and we'll talk to you soon," she told them before hanging up.

We sat on the couch, waiting for the right thing to say. But nothing came; what was there to say? She knew how I felt, as I did she, and she knew what needed to be done-why I needed to go.

"I could get off work, I have some sick leave left…" she began, but stopped as I waved off the idea.

"No need. I'll just check in; I won't let her see me. Edward doesn't need to know. We're not disobeying him anyway," I told her. She sighed, leaning back against me. He had been terribly torn up about the whole thing; so had the rest of us, but not nearly as bad as he. He left us immediately, only bothering to take his cell phone before going. Jasper and Alice had already departed, and Rosalie and Emmett left shortly after. He'd viciously demanded that we not interfere, and he wouldn't talk to Jasper or Rosalie.

I kissed Esme goodbye, telling her I loved her as I grabbed my stuff and walked out.

"Call me when you can." she said.

I'd been called in to a tragic case in Washington. Kid was in a catatonic state after an accident or something-I hadn't heard the full story yet. They were studying him, trying to find a way to wake him up from it as his body tried to heal from its injuries. But, as these cases usually went, he was probably fading away into a vegetable, living by machines and never to awaken. I shook me head, sympathetic to the kid's family.

And of course, my trip brought me close to our former home of Forks, Washington. We'd decided that I could go check on Bella, just to make sure she was as all right, as Edward claimed she would be. I didn't doubt it much, and yet… I did. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts as I parked my car. Grabbing my luggage, I stepped towards another day.

--

As soon as we were in the air and allowed to roam the plane, I called Emmett and Rosalie, as Esme and I had planned. I quickly let them know my plan once I was sure they were out of Edward's 'hearing' range. Emmett was uneasy when he hung up, worried about the outcome, he said. I had hoped he would bring Rosalie around, but now I knew it wasn't going to happen. Even he was a hit hard by this change-he missed her as much as we did, and it showed. I hoped time would heal his wounds as it was supposed to heal Bella's.

I sighed as I pulled out my computer, bound on e-mailing the hospital for more information, when my phone rang again. It was Esme. "I called Edward and he's furious. He'll be calling in a minute. Be careful, we can't let him know. And make sure he's not coming there while he's talking to you, you don't need him 'reading' your intentions," she rushed. I agreed and let her know about the other two children of our house before hanging up. I breathed deeply, knowing he'd be calling any second…pulling in extra calm feelings from my surroundings. I was beginning to feel a bit like Jasper.

The phone rang impatiently.

"Hello?" I asked, but it didn't fool Edward.

"What are you doing? I told you to stay away! We've meddled enough!" he bellowed; I had to hold the phone away from my ear.

"Edward, I'm on a plane, people are trying to sleep. And relax, I'm not going anywhere near there. I'm landing in Seattle and driving over to Spokane-the OPPOSITE WAY from-"

"Don't even say it!" he hissed. "How do I trust you anyway? Why are you even over there in the first place? Sure they have enough medical staff that-" I cut him off, increasingly angry by the second.

"There is a kid who has been in an accident and is in severe trauma, his family begged to have anything done to try and awaken him. On top of THAT the hospital's two best surgeons are very ill with that nasty flu that's been going around, which you would know if you would have been paying attention to anything besides your problems," I told him.

"Whatever. I'm coming to make sure anyway," he muttered viciously.

"No. I am your father, and I'm telling you that you are to stay put. I'm headed to Spokane as soon as I land. It's your fault it's this way anyway since you decided we had to leave in the first place-" I bit my tongue, regretting my words instantly. I heard his howl in the phone and the it audibly clattered, then crunched as he smashed it in anger. As cruel as I knew I had been, I knew that it had to be done, and that it was for the best. It had been necessary. In an action I'd picked up from my first son, I pinched the bridge of my nose, groaning as I rested back into my seat.

"Kids. Some moments ya love 'em, others you want to rip their arms off," the lady next to me said. I opened my eyes to see her smiling sympathetically at me, her daughter asleep on her lap.

"Yeah," I said smiling slightly back at her. "You have no idea," I muttered, too quiet for anyone to hear but me.

A/N So what did you think? I had to start out slow, but hopefully things will pick up soon! sorry the first chapter is so small, I'm working diligently on the rest! Please please please read and review!

Peace outama