A special patient

Just a short story of Carlisle and Esme meeting fort the first time in 1911 in Columbus, when he sets her leg… How will the young girl affect the so controlled doctor?...

CHAPTER 1: effects of tree climbing – Carlisle's POV

I looked outside the window of my office and noticed that the sky was dark. My shift was about to begin. The night shifts were usually not very popular with the other doctors but I always worked the nighttimes. I had nothing else to do because I couldn't sleep and in the nights I also did not need to fear the sun coming out.

"Dr Cullen?" Someone knocked on my office door. "Yes?" I said politely. A nurse opened the door: "Dr Cullen, there's a patient for you. A broken leg, the girl is only sixteen, may you look for her?" I stood up from my chair and smiled happily. "Of course." I answered. The nurse handed me the file and I suppressed a chuckle, when I heard her heartbeat quicken as I smiled again. I knew that the whole female staffs were in love with me. But I was not interested in anyone and it would also be impossible. I was just destined to spent eternity alone. A sigh escaped my lips and I quickly distracted myself from such sad thoughts by looking at the file. Esme Platt; 16; a broken leg so nothing too serious. I had reached the examination room and opened the door.

I was not in the slightest prepared to what was awaiting me there. An almost irresistible smell reached my nose and my throat burned. Wildflowers and lavender. I stood rooted to the spot and gazed into the room. A girl, no a young woman, was sitting on the desk. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. Her heart shaped face was framed by caramel curls, her body was lithe and slim, she had chocolate brown eyes which were now red rimmed from the tears she must have cried.

"Ah, Doctor." A woman who I had not noticed until now stood up and came to shake my hand. I noticed that I was staring and quickly looked away from the young woman. It took me a moment to regain my self control but then I shook the older woman's hand. She flinched away from my ice-cold skin. "Yes, I'm Dr Cullen, it's a pleasure to meet you." I said. "Thank you. My name is Platt and this is my daughter…" the older woman gestured towards my patient. I moved over to the young woman. "Nice to meet you." I said and held out my hand. "Pleasure." She said lowly and took my hand. Unlike her mother she did not seemed bothered by my touch. "So then, Ms Platt, I will have a look at your leg." I said gently. Her mother nodded. "I will leave then." She went for the door and shut it quietly behind her. The girl sighed. "What is it?" I asked. Alarmed by her sad expression. "Are you in pain?" What a stupid question Carlisle! Of course she is in pain! She has a broken leg! The young woman just smiled weakly again and shook her head. "Nothing Dr" She said quickly. "May I ask how that happened, Ms Platt?" Immediately she blushed and averted my curious gaze. "It will only sound silly… it was no proper behaviour for a lady…" She murmured. I chuckled. "Well, I won't tell anybody." I said and winked. "But it may help me to understand your injury better." "Oh, well, I… I was climbing a tree…" she admitted with a quick glance at me. When I did not react in any way she went on babbling. "You know, I enjoy reading up there, it is so peaceful and quiet and I love to hear the birds sing in the branches. When I was up on my favourite branch I opened my book and started reading. That's when my mother found me. She yelled at me, startled me and I slipped. I am not supposed to behave like that and I am also not supposed to read… I said it would sound silly…" She ended lamely. I gave her a reassuring smile. "It did not. I like reading, too and I love climbing trees and being in the forest and it is also not considered as a proper behaviour for a doctor." I winked. For the first time she smiled shyly and I was simply stunned by it.

"So Ms Platt, may I examine your leg now?" I asked careful. "Esme…" She said. I looked up. "You can call me Esme." She explained. I flashed her a smile. "Only if you call me Carlisle." I added. "Carlisle." She let my name roll of her tongue. "Well, Esme…" – What a beautiful name! "…I will examine your leg to find out where exactly it is broken. But perhaps you can help me. Does it hurt worse in a particular place?" Esme shook her head. "It is like my leg is on fire. I can't tell you where it is worst. Sorry." "No, it is okay." My cold hands touched her leg. Esme sighed lowly. I pulled my hands away. I knew that my cold skin was uncomfortable for most of my patients. "Sorry, poor circulation." I murmured to explain the coldness. "No, it is okay... honestly, it felt good… my leg hurts so much…" She admitted. Without thinking twice about it I put my hand on her calf again. Then I gently felt for the break. I let my fingers wander over her soft skin, concentrating very hard on her reaction. I did not want to cause her pain. Suddenly Esme winced. "Sorry." I apologized and looked up. She had her lips pressed hard together and a single tear was streaming down her face. It was only then that I noticed she had not cried until now, though she must be in terrible pain. "You are really brave." I told her and wiped the tear away. "I have seen many patients, even men, cry at an injury like yours." A soft blush reddened her cheeks and she looked away. God, she was so beautiful when she did this. "Have you found the break?" She asked probably afraid of more painful examinations. "I did, but I have to set your leg. This will be painful, though I try to be as gentle as possible. Just tell me, when it is too bad, alright Esme?" She nodded with determined expression. "Okay, just do it." I felt really bad about what I was going to do. It would hurt to set her leg. "Do you want any painkillers now?" Esme shook her head. "No, it is alright, it is not this bad…" She said. I nodded and felt again for the break, then with a fast movement of my hand I let snap the bone back in place. Esme whimpered. "Sorry." I told her. "I know you can't do anything against it…" she whispered. I felt sorry for causing her pain, even necessary pain. "I will give you something against the pain…" I murmured and stood up. "It is okay, really… it doesn't hurt so bad…" I had to admit that she was driving me crazy. She was so brave and did not want to be the centre of attention. I touched her leg again to make sure everything was okay. Or just because you want to touch her… Esme sighed again, so low that a normal man would not have heard it, but I did. "You are really okay?" I asked again. "Yes… as I said, your hands… the coldness is good…" I rested my hands on her leg to cool it. Her skin was hot. I knew that what I did right now was no proper behaviour but it was hard to resist her. My hands rested on her soft skin for some minutes, before I pulled reluctantly away. "Okay, now I will put your leg in a splint because we cannot put it in a cast before the swelling is gone, which will hopefully be tomorrow. I fear you will have to stay in the hospital for a few days." I told her. Esme nodded. "Is it alright if I let your mother back in, Esme?" She looked up at me. "Yes, why do you ask?" She wanted to know. "I… well, I just had the impression that your mother is really upset about your injury…" I told her sheepishly. I guessed this from the way she behaved now, without her mother in the room, more confident and just natural. "Oh, yes, she is not happy." Esme told me. I heard more in her words that she did tell me. "What is it?" I demanded softly and kneeled in front of her. Esme hesitated. "My mother is upset… about my broken leg… she, she hates it, if I don't behave like I should but I hate all the things she wants me to do, sewing, dancing, cooking… I am never allowed to do what I like…" Esme finished and put on a mask to hide her emotions. I felt the urge to pull her in my arms and comfort her. Does her mother not think that a broken leg is enough! Her daughter is in pain and crying and she just scolds her! "I will talk to her." I said smiling. "Make her see that you did nothing wrong." Esme looked at me. "You would do that, Dr…" "Esme…" I interrupted. "Sorry, Carlisle…" She corrected. My name sounded so beautiful when she said it, all the syllables rolling of her tongue like she was destined to speak my name. I got up and opened the door to the hallway. "Mrs Platt, may I have a word with you?" I asked. The woman got up and nodded. I led her to a room nearby and held the door open for her. "Take a seat, please." She sat down and I sat opposite her.

It was not easy to talk to Esmes mother. I had never thought it would be, but it was even more difficult than I had imagined. She was really stubborn and always insisted that it was her daughter's fault. I told her that Esme was in enough pain and that it was a mere accident. But Mrs Platt still thought ill of her daughter. I told her that I had the impression her daughter was quite mature. This seemed to calm her a little.

Afterwards I returned to Esme, her mother behind me. "Mother." Esme said surprised and unsure. I smiled at her. "Esme, you will have to stay in the hospital for some days and I will return to the farm now…" I wanted to stay and listen to their conversation but it was really impolite and so I excused myself. "Excuse me, please, I have to prepare everything for the splint…" I left the room and closed the door behind me.

I tried really hard not to listen to the conversation between Esme and her mother. I went to get the bandages and everything I would need. When I returned to the examination room Esme was waiting for him. Her mother was gone. I was a bit puzzled by this. Had she just left her daughter here alone? Without caring that Esme may be frightened and lonely? I thought it rather impolite and cold for a mother. She should comfort her daughter! "There you are!" Esme said when I entered the room. She looked delighted. "Yes, I had to get some things first." I told her while I motioned to sit in front of her again. "Okay Esme, I will now put a splint on your leg. That may hurt, but I try to be very careful and you tell me, if it becomes painful?" "I will." She promised bravely. I really was taken aback by her courage. Only a single tear had escaped her eyes in my presence. She really tried to be strong. I arranged the splint and the bandages on a table next to her and reached for the splint first. I carefully set it around her leg, slowly, trying not to hurt her in the tiniest way. Then I grabbed a bandage and explained: "The bandages have to be really tight so it may be uncomfortable." Esme nodded, she looked a little bit afraid. I flashed her a soft smile and murmured: "Press my hand, if it makes you feel better…" Damn! Carlisle What are you talking about? She - holding your hand? Are you mad? I was mad. Mad with delight, as Esme took my ice cold hand in hers and held it tight. A sudden jittering exploded in my stomach. I focused back on the splint and the task before me and worked on her leg. Esmes did not let go of my hand except when I needed it and sometimes pressed a little harder when I had hurt her somehow. I really did not notice it, but my thumb had mechanically started rubbing circles on the back of her hand.

"Well then, I think you are finished, Esme." I told her smiling. She let go of my hand and tried a smile. This time it was real. Her eyes sparkled a little and a soft blush covered her cheeks. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. "Thank you, Carlisle." I grinned. "Come on then, it is late and you should rest now. I will take you to a room but I will get a wheelchair first." I said. Esme grinned sarcastically. "Okay, I will just wait here, I guess." I chuckled as I left the room.

"May I have the pleasure to escort you now to your room, my lady?" I asked as I put the wheelchair next to the table on which Esme was sitting. She laughed lowly and it sounded clear and careless. "You may." She said and batted me an eyelash. Normally I would have flinched away from every form of flirting but with her it was so innocent and natural I could not. I really must have lost my mind flirting with a 16-year-old girl! Esme tried to sit up more straight and probably wanted to get in the chair herself but I would not let her. "Let me." I begged and scooped her up in my arms before sitting her carefully down in the wheelchair. She did not seem bothered by my closeness neither by my cold and hard body. I wheeled her out into the hallway and in a hospital room. A nurse followed me. "Dr Cullen, you don't need to bother with this. You could have called a nurse." She said. I quickly shook my head. "It is alright. I really don't bother and there is no other patient, is there?" I asked. The truth was that even if there would have been another patient I would have taken Esme to the room by myself. But I would never admit it.

When I had closed the door behind my back and wheeled Esme next to the bed I lifted her up again to sit her down onto the bed. It was just then that a thought struck me: She would have to change into a nightgown or something and she needed help. At least now I would need a nurse. I could never do this. I smiled to hide my horrified expression. "I will get a nurse to help you change. And because I know you won't take any painkillers I suggest some ice?" Esme nodded at me. "Yes, thank you." "You're welcome." I told her and left the room.

I got the ice and was about to just open Esme's door when I came back to my senses and knocked. "Come in." her soft voice called. Esme was sitting in bed, now wearing a white nightgown. Maybe it was my imagination but when she saw me her eyes glinted happily. "I got the ice." I explained. "Thank you." She said again as I placed the ice-bag on her leg. She leant back in the pillow and closed her eyes. "Better?" "Much better." She whispered. I smiled. "Well, try to sleep now. If you need anything else just call the nurses and ask for me, but believe me, sleep is the best medicine you can get now." Esme nodded and suppressed a yawn. I stood next to her bed for a moment before I whispered "Good night" and left the room. Silently closing the door behind me.

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