Alright, so partially because To Love and Protect has been so depressing lately, here's some less depressing C&E for you. This comes from that reference back in Aftermath(though you definitely don't have to have read that before this) about Carlisle and another doctor being interested in Esme. Let the jealousy ensue…

NOTE/ANNOUNCEMENT: I have rather suddenly stopped getting e-mails from this site. :deep breath, before cursing loudly: Anyway...I told it to make my email available from my page. If anyone is trying to get in touch with me, please use that rather than private message for the time being. :sigh:

EDIT: typos and such fixed. and I'm still not getting e-mails...argh.

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Esme

I sighed, leaning back against the counter. I shouldn't have been surprised. I mean, it's not like I hadn't accepted over the years that things were going to run late. Or that we were really going anywhere all that special. Nothing big, just a movie. I mean, I wasn't even wearing anything more elaborate than a nice skirt and thin sweater, something that probably would have given Alice some sort of stroke if that were possible. As it was, she had glared and fussed and tried to get me into higher heels, a tighter skirt, and the sweater I had ended up in. It was the only concession I gave her, and even gaining a little ground she had still seemed pained when I left. I smiled remembering, shaking my head. Sometimes I let her have her way, but this was nothing big, nothing I felt like letting her dress me for. Absolutely no big deal. So why was I so disappointed that he was an hour late? An hour late, and that he hadn't even called, sent a nurse, anything?

"Because it really is a big deal."

I looked over at Edward beside me, leaning on his left arm against the counter and smirking down at the floor. "No, it isn't."

"I can hear your thoughts, Esme. Unedited. You're even telling yourself it isn't a big deal, and maybe really it isn't. But it bothers you at least a little."

"Lots of things bother me, Edward, but that doesn't matter."

"What 'lots of things'? You're one of the most-"

"Alright, drop it."

He chuckled, scooted closer to me. "Sorry, mom."

I remained annoyed only until I looked at him. That pleading look in his eyes was always too much for me. "It's fine, Edward. You're right. It bothers me. But I understand, so it's alright. I was just…hoping this wouldn't happen tonight. Really though, it's ok. I don't mind waiting." And that part was most definitely true. I would have waited for Carlisle forever and never really been tired of it. I loved him far too much.

"Oh, I know." He glanced at the clock, a human gesture. We both knew how long it had been. "Why don't I go look for him, hm? Probably had a surgery run over or something, but I can check."

I knew he was really just planning to go interrupt it, whatever was keeping him. I knew Carlisle far too well to even think for an instant anything less than an emergency would keep him from me. I hesitated, unwilling to agree. If Edward told him I was even the slightest bit impatient, he would abandon anything, and I didn't really want to be the reason for that.

He drifted away from me, already heading down the hallway. "You worry too much, Esme. I'll be back."

He was gone quickly, and I turned toward the counter, letting my eyes rove over the desk. The nurse at the computer had greeted us when we had come in but ignored us very steadfastly ever since, typing and searching through files. I watched her for a moment, eyes raking over the handwriting as she flipped open a new file. I saw his beautiful signature, caught a whiff of his scent and couldn't help but smile. The response was as natural as feeling thirst at the scent of blood; Carlisle was my source of happiness, my very source of life.

"May I help you?" I looked up, my eyes falling on the man who had joined me at the nurses' station. He was young, though 'older' than Carlisle. Handsome, I supposed, but I had hardly noticed that in almost a hundred years. He, on the other hand, was giving me that look that Rosalie attracted every time she walked out of the house, and I dipped my eyes down, smiling.

"No, thank you, I'm just waiting for my husband."

A flicker of disappointment made an appearance in his eyes and I probably would have blushed if I could have. It wasn't as if I was really all that attractive. Pretty, I supposed, because we all were…but never beautiful, not to any man but Carlisle. "Would I know him, your husband?"

Probably. "Dr. Carlisle Cullen?"

He smiled in a friendly way, leaned on the counter next to me. "Ah, Dr. Cullen! Excellent doctor, I love working with him."

"Yes, he's very good at what he does." The best. I could not be more proud of him. There was no one stronger or kinder in all the world. "You wouldn't happen to know where he is, would you?" Just in case.

"In surgery, the last I heard. He got called in on a difficult heart transplant. There were complications they thought he could best deal with. Quite a compliment really." His gaze was still openly appreciative, a little more sweeping. "But that's no excuse to keep a lady waiting. He should be ashamed."

"No, it's fine. I don't mind at all." He looked, of course, sorry that I didn't, and I almost laughed. I was never the one in the center of the attention, and it was both a little flattering and a little embarrassing. Especially when I shouldn't have really been so much to notice. Even so, it was amusing. He had no way of knowing it wasn't worth his time, not in the slightest. I was far more completely taken than even the typical married woman. He absolutely had no chance, but there was just no way he could know that.

I caught their scent then, coming closer. Edward murmured something so low that at the distance even I couldn't catch it, and it was followed by a sharp, furious hiss, one that had me turning quickly at the recognition of his voice. What was- Oh.

The look in his eyes was almost frightening in its intensity, almost pure black. They were fixed on the man next to me, his hands clenched tight. I had never seen him so furious, so close to the edges of his control. He found a measure of it in the second before the man could look at him, and as quickly as could be believed he was at my side, his arms wrapping securely around my waist. "Hello, dear." My voice was a quiet murmur, as normal and yet soothing as I could make it.

He didn't calm, not really, but I felt his thumb graze my skin just under my sweater. "Sorry I kept you waiting, love." The darkness faded a little when he looked at me, his eyes burning a deep gold. He managed, marginally, to keep that composure when he looked at the doctor across from us. "Dr. Phillips. I see you've met my wife." Was I the only one that could hear the extreme emphasis he put on those last two words, or would the human have been able to hear it to? I wasn't sure, but there had most certainly been a bite to them, a warning.

His smile twitched a little toward uncertain, and I was almost sure he had detected the menacing edge in Carlisle's voice. "Yes, I was just keeping her company while she waited. You're a very lucky man."

"Yes, I am." His words were clipped, though they still carried an undercurrent of pride and awe. Just like they always did when he spoke of the fact that I was his. I leaned into his side a little more, hoping the pressure would calm him.

"Did the surgery go well?" His voice was as friendly as ever, but he had to read something in Carlisle's very possessive body language because he was backing away now, tucking his clipboard under his arm.

"Very. Everything was normal when I left, though I'll be checking back in soon, certainly. I believe Rochester is on call for her at the moment."

The look on his face was still just a few shades short of dangerous, and I took his hand in mine, easily weaving our fingers together. "Is everything taken care of then?"

He nodded, left a kiss against my forehead that was a little firmer than usual. "Yes. I can leave now." He smiled tightly, held the hand not in mine out to the other man. "Dr.Phillips." He took Carlisle's hand easily, but almost flinched a little when he let go.

I could hear Edward chuckle in the background, and I resisted the urge to shush him. "Carlisle!" It was hissed, low enough for our ears only. I knew he heard me, but he didn't respond, his eyes following Dr.Phillips retreating form down the hall.

When he had, apparently, glared at him long enough, he turned, tugging me in the other direction. "Come on."

I was silent for a moment, watched him struggle with what looked like a half dozen emotions. I sighed then, tightened my grip on his hand so he'd know I wasn't angry at him when I spoke. "Why do I feel like I have two children here right now, hm?"

"Esme, he was…" he ran his right hand through his hair, and the darkness shifted for a moment to reveal something like embarrassment. "I didn't like the way he was looking at you." Then, before I could speak, his eyes darkened again, a low growl slipping from his chest. "And his thoughts were worse."

"Yes, well…" I shook my head, not entirely surprised. Men were, after all, not known for controlling themselves in any form when it came to women. I heard the handle of his office door protest as he gripped it a little too tightly, and I couldn't help but grin. Case in point… "It was annoying, certainly, but harmless." I slipped in the door after him, under the arm he still held it open with. "You know I wasn't interested in the slightest." I looked up to gauge his reaction, but he wasn't looking at me, was instead looking out the door at Edward. Communicating, I knew.

Edward almost grinned, backed up a little. "I'll be…" He briefly gestured in the other direction before turning and leaving rather quickly as Carlisle shut the door.

He sighed, rubbed a hand over his eyes. "If you thought that I didn't trust you, then forgive me. I know there was no real…danger. All the same, the way he was looking at you, the things Edward said he was thinking when he was looking at you…" He shook his head, right hand clenching tight. "I could hardly bear it."

I stepped forward, let my hands rest on his chest. His arms automatically wrapped around my waist, anchoring me to him. "I'm sorry." I buried my face in his shoulder, breathed him in. His scent was incredible, always at once both calming and arousing. "He must be new around here, lonely. I wouldn't worry, Carlisle, he'll have forgotten all about me by tomorrow."

He stiffened, his hand swiftly coming to turn my chin up. "What are you thinking? That you aren't…worthy of that sort of attention?"

I really, truly should have been blushing. As it was, my eyes were downcast. "Well, I know that, being what we are, everyone finds us attractive at some point. But there are many other women around here more- What?" He was chuckling softly, shaking his head. "What, Carlisle?"

"Have you truly never noticed that you turn heads everywhere you go? Esme, love…" He changed his grip, took my face in his hands. "You are beautiful, more than beautiful. More than enough to catch every man's eye and take hold of all their attention." The black returned then. "And you do. He was thinking…" He snarled a little, unable to even get it out without the same primal anger I had seen in that first moment. "He was imagining being able to take you home himself. And he has no right to even think it, has no right to even look at you." He stepped back from me, pushed me gently to arms length until my back hit the door, his eyes roving restlessly over me. "Truly, you do look incredibly desirable tonight. His response was, I suppose only natural, and perhaps I was overreacting." He stepped in close very suddenly, his body pressed against mine. I gasped, and he took advantage of my open lips, kissing me with a kind of gentle force that only he could have ever managed.

I was weak when he finished, almost limp. In this body, that was truly saying something for his kissing expertise. His hands ran up and down my sides, his lips burning a trail down my neck, an almost constant low growl emanating from his chest. I tangled my fingers in his hair, pressed a kiss to the disheveled locks. "Carlisle…"

He growled a little louder, paused in his frantic kisses to nuzzle my throat. "I'm sorry if I upset you, if it was childish." He was almost breathless, but still managed to sound apologetic. "But that was harder than I would have ever thought. I've seen men look at you when you're with me, glances. But the way he was staring so openly…it was so much more difficult than I expected not to challenge him over it." His hands squeezed my waist gently, body pressing even closer somehow. "You are mine."

The feral edge to his words sent a shock of heat through every inch of my body, stroking a very elemental form of desire to life. I kissed the top of his head again, tugged on him hard enough to bring his lips back to mine for another kiss before I answered. "You didn't upset me, not really. I did think you were overreacting, yes. But on the other hand, I know how I feel to see a woman staring at you from a distance. If I saw one so close, I highly doubt I could do anything but react the same. Or worse. I've just never seen you so..." I trailed my fingertips across his face, searching for the right word.

He was, it seemed, still worried that he had somehow frightened me, for he flinched a little, sorrow touching his eyes. "Frightening?"

"No." He had been, but I would never tell him that. In any case, I hadn't been afraid of him. His arm curved tighter around my waist and the word clicked. "Possessive."

He sighed, let his eyes shut as he rested his forehead against mine. "I'm sorry. It is…more instinctive than I usually am. I'm sor-"

I cut him off, covering his lips. "Don't be. While I can't say I'd like to repeat the reason for it, if this is the result it's…" I couldn't finish the sentence right away and I bit my lip, smiled a little shyly. "Adorable. And sexy."

His eyebrows rose slightly, a grin spreading across his lips. "Really?"

I nodded, pulled him closer to nuzzle against him. "Very." Extremely. He was rarely so unrestrained, and there was something so very arousing about it. Not to mention romantic, in its own way. I could not be more happy to be his, to be claimed so strongly. His grin turned mischievous, and with his eyes still the deepest ebony I knew that was sure to be a prelude to something at least slightly dangerous.

He brought one hand up to rest against my neck, tilting my head to more thoroughly attack the other side with his lips. And he was thorough, leaving no inch of skin from my jaw to my shoulder unworshipped. His mouth fastened on my collarbone, his right hand sliding up and under my sweater to rest over my ribs. I shivered and he drew back to look at me, my chest heaving a little from labored breaths. "Mm…" he nuzzled against the neck of my sweater, tugged on it a little with his teeth. "I love the way this fits you."

"Thank Alice."

He laughed softly, eyes sparkling. "I will."

Everyone who lived with her had long ago adjusted to the weirdness of Alice knowing absolutely everything…even the things we'd rather her not see. It had never bothered her, and after we had adjusted, it didn't really bother us either. I slid my hands up his back, nails providing just as much pressure as I knew he liked. His head came back up to claim me in a kiss then, even looser than before, more passionate. "Carlisle…" I gasped his name against his lips, my head swimming for some sort of focus. I inhaled deeply, then realized that was more detrimental to focusing than anything else. He smelled far too tempting. "Carlisle, wait. We shouldn't do this here."

He pulled back a little, panting, and I shivered at the feel of his breath on my skin. "We could."

"Yes, but…" he was trying very hard to kiss me again, and turning him down was almost impossible. "Carlisle…"

He groaned in frustration, but I could feel him pull his breathing under control, draw back enough to disentangle his body from mine. "Yes, of course. If it bothers you."

I felt a stab of guilt then, seeing the raging desire in his eyes, what it cost him to reign it in. He was my gentlemen always, even now. Just because he was willing to always be the gentlemen, though, didn't mean I should always ask him to be. And besides, I did want him, desperately. Now. The location really shouldn't be all that important. The odds were very low that someone would actually interrupt us, so long as we could be…unobtrusive. "Wait." I caught his wrist, pulled him back toward me. "Nevermind."

An edge of almost worried uncertainty flashed in his eyes, and he didn't come any closer. "Not for my sake. This can wait."

He, as always, feared ever even slightly pressuring me into anything. I could have kicked myself for making him question that just now. I shook my head, looked up at him with the best burn in my eyes I could manage, a look that usually did the trick on him. "No. It can't. I changed my mind."

I felt a shudder run through him as he slid forward again, his eyes locked with mine. Yes, the eyes had done the trick. He brushed his lips against my jaw a little slower, more controlled, breathtakingly sensual. "Alright then."

I grinned at my success, put my hands on his hips to pull them against mine, then moved upward to swiftly unbutton his shirt. I loved everything about him, certainly, but his perfect chest was very high on the list. I ran my hands over the velvety skin lovingly, eagerly. "So beautiful…"

His hands toyed with the hem of my sweater, gently pushed it up until I raised my arms for him to remove it. He drank me in as thirstily as he ever did, dazzling wonder in his deep golden eyes. "My Esme…"

I took his hands, brought them up to encourage him to touch me through the fabric that remained, let my head fall back in pleasure when he did. "Yes. I am always yours." His, and only his, and I knew that thought meant the world to him.

He was, of course, far too good with his hands, and when a soft whimper escaped my lips he darted forward to catch it, kissing me deeply as our hands roamed, clothing being either shifted or discarded onto the floor. We didn't need air, not really, and he didn't break the kiss until his hand slipped lower, a little hint of his earlier animalistic desire in the way he muffled a groan against my shoulder as his fingers first touched me. I was more than ready for him, and I could feel just how much that affected him, his whole frame twitching forward. Suddenly enough to surprise even me he was shifting us into a better position, lifting me entirely to wrap my legs around his waist. As he brushed against me I gasped, tangled my fingers in his hair and tugged hard, brought my lips to his ear. "I love you."

That broke his hesitation, one hand coming up to brace himself against the door, the other curving to my hip to guide our movements. His earlier desperation had returned entirely now and his movements were quicker, a little rougher than normal. It was intoxicating, infectious, and it was all I could do not to cry out his name. "Esme…" He kept his voice to a low whisper, his control still so largely intact. "Love you…"

The way he said it was almost enough to bring me over the edge. The words themselves were beautiful, of course, but the real truth of his love was something that could only be heard, felt. It was overwhelming, especially at times like this. My grip on him tightened, hands sliding to his shoulders and clinging hard enough that I could really feel the pressure. The desperation and intensity was too much, we could neither of us last long like this. And he, knowing this, was as meticulous as he almost always was, one hand slipping in-between our bodies to stroke me gently, not stopping even as I let go.

We remained pressed together for a moment, my legs weak. He slumped against me, head cradled on my shoulder, hand absently running up and down my thigh still wrapped around him. "Ah, Esme…" I felt his lips press firmly to the hollow of my throat, the possession clear even in such a slight caress. "Mine."

It was adorable, and it was all I could do not to laugh softly at how very determined it sounded. As if he thought he would meet with argument. As if there could be any doubt, anyone to dispute his claim. I rubbed the nape of his neck soothingly, kissed his temple. "Yours. Absolutely."

I felt him smile against my skin, and he gave me a last kiss before easing away from me and setting me down, quickly beginning the task of sorting our clothes out and getting them all back on. I was just straightening my sweater and wishing I had a mirror when I heard him chuckle, low and deep, and thoroughly amused. I turned and cocked my head at him, curious. "What is it?"

"Well…I told Edward, initially, he didn't need to go very far. I only wanted to talk to you, to ask you one thing." He laughed again, harder. "I'm sure that he went farther, after a little while."

I sighed, couldn't help giggling a little myself, even though I was always a little embarrassed over things like that. My poor son. Having to hear everything was surely more difficult for him than it was for those he had to hear. My hand fell to the handle, ready to leave, but something else he had said stopped me. "Wait, what were you going to ask me?"

He fidgeted a little, and my attention sharply increased. "I…" he seemed almost reluctant to ask it, but not enough to drop the subject. He met my eyes then, his determination strengthening. "I'd like you to wait for me in my office from now on, if you don't mind. I know it may sound crazy, but I…" He stepped forward, brushed a tender kiss on my forehead. "I'm the only one who can look at you like that. Is that alright?"

I hugged him tightly, wanting him to know his request didn't bother me in the slightest. Anything that put him at ease. "It's perfectly alright."

He rubbed my back a moment, gently, before reaching around behind me to take the handle. I noticed something flicker in his eyes when they fell on the door and I almost laughed again, giddy. He was, certainly, never going to look at his door the same way again. Hm…thinking about something like that might even bring him home quicker in the evenings. Maybe. In that case, I would be very glad indeed that jealousy was such a strong emotion for our kind. I would have never imagined, before, that it could be so very useful.

I took his hand, stepped forward into the hallway. "Come on, Dr.Cullen. You promised me a movie."

He smiled, squeezed my hand. "So I did. Alright, let's go."

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Ah, this was fun. and cheerful. See? No depression in this one! (which is amazing, considering my car just died on me today and cost a crap ton of money…siiiigh)

I want a jealous Carlisle….