Chapter Six: Familiarity

Ashland, Wisconsin, April 1921

Carlisle

Her hiss rang like a bell in the room.

"Carlisle," Edward warned, "Too close. She's a newborn, remember?"

"And what do you mean by that, Edward?" Esme's tone was livid.

Edward began to reply, but I cut him off.

Speaking in a low whisper, I tried to soothe her, "After a few more hunts your eye colour will calm a little, the more animal blood you drink, the more golden your eyes will become. In a short few months, they'll be exactly the same shade as mine."

My eyes were only inches away from hers at that point; her scarlet orbs pierced my soul.

"Yours?" she murmured, her voice low with a frantic edge to it.

I nodded, "Mine."

Then she collapsed into my arms in uncontrollable sobs.

I looked to Edward, And you still won't go into town for me?

Edward shook his head and then departed once again for the piano.

"I'm sorry…" Esme sobbed, "I don't mean to… be crying all the… time… or angry… I… I don't want to be… angry… I don't know… what's happening… it's worse than when… than when I was pregnant… oh! ... Oh, my son… my poor little baby… he's gone… I…"

"Shhh, it's okay," I murmured encircling her properly in my arms, "Everything is going to be alright."

As she sobbed I rubbed my hands softly up and down her back, in a motion I had seen many times to give comfort, and I realised that she had probably never known comfort such as that before.

I tried to dismiss the irrational anger that raged in my veins, and instead I focussed on her.

Her hands shifted from my chest to my back as she encircled my body in her arms. Her small head fell forward to rest of my chest as sobs caught in her throat.

"You'll get a handle on the emotions soon, sweetheart," I cooed, inwardly cringing at the term of endearment as it slipped out of my mouth without permission, "And I promise you'll feel better."

She nodded her head against my chest and I thought the sobs were receding. But I was wrong.

Her nodding quickly turned to shaking her head and the sobs increased.

"Esme?" I murmured, my voice betraying my worry.

"I just… I can't bear to think what you think of me now!"

I sighed and held her tighter, "Darling Esme," I murmured, "We only think good things of you and your sweet soul."

She murmured something about the cliff, and I felt it my time to share a secret I kept.

"Not long after I discovered what I was, I too jumped off of a cliff, it however, did not achieve the desired result. I couldn't judge you, Esme, for making a decision that I too, have made."

Her sobs began to soften again.

"I'm glad it didn't work, Carlisle." She breathed.

I wasn't sure if she was addressing her suicide attempt or mine, but I said, "Me too," anyway, because it was true for both, and then without thinking I pressed my lips to her hair.

To my surprise, and her credit, she did not stiffen. Instead, her sobs eased even more.

I rubbed her back for a final time, and then stepped back to look at her face.

She still looked very upset, but it was the most beautiful upset face I'd ever seen.

I gave her a small smile, "Now, I know it's probably the last thing you would like to do, but I do think you should come and look in the mirror before I leave."

She surprised me by nodding, so I reached for her hand, which she eagerly placed in my own. I turned toward the door, and started for the bathroom.

"You know, I am rather surprised that you didn't look in the mirror before."

She smiled shyly, "I didn't want to see myself covered in blood, or…"

I raised an eyebrow as she trailed off, "Or?" I prompted.

She laughed bashfully, "I've never worn men's clothing before. My mother would have had a heart attack if she ever knew."

"Oh," I looked to my feet, "Yes, I do apologise for that."

"It's alright," Esme's sweet voice murmured, "I must say though, I envy you in the winter, but pity you in the summer for these trousers. They're very warm, but skirts are far more comfortable in the heat."

I grinned, "I must agree, I found myself in Scottish traditional dress once, and I have envy women in the summer months since then."

"Although it doesn't impact us much," she whispered.

I agreed as I opened the door to the bathroom once again. I led her to the large mirror that hung on the wall.

I knew the sight of her red eyes would distress her again, but I hoped the rest of her appearance would calm her.

I stood behind her as she peered into the glass.

She gasped quietly as she saw the beautiful creature in the reflection. I knew in that moment, her eyes didn't bother her too much, for the beauty she possessed would strike even a modest person, and she was a modest person, if ever I knew one.

Her skin was bone pale, hard and smooth, there was not a single imperfection on her face. Her hair billowed down her shoulders in soft curls, it was shiny, an almost unnatural shade of caramel brown, but not as violent a colour as Edward's or mine. In fact, everything about her seemed almost un-vampire like. Her hair not being as unnatural, her bones not being as angular, her eyes not being as menacing, of course the colour was, but there was something about their large shape that made the redness seem innocent. She looked far more human than Edward or I, which made her even the more special to me.

She was beautiful.

"Is that me?" She asked as her hand rested upon her cheek.

I smiled and nodded from behind.

"It doesn't look like me," she almost sounded disheartened.

"Of course you still look like you," I murmured stepping forward.

I placed a finger on the mirror, "You still have brown hair, your eyes are still shaped like hazelnuts, your button nose is still a little button, your lips are still your lips, and I know for a fact you still have those dimples in the sides of your cheeks."

I grinned at the girl in the glass, and she smiled shyly back, sure enough, her dimples pinched her cheeks.

"See? You're still you. Just paler."

She let out a singular laugh, "With red eyes."

I gave a shrug, "For the time being."

She sighed, "I am sorry for my melodramatic ways."

I grinned, "At least you haven't thrown a tree at me yet."

Her brow furrowed in confusion, "Why would I do that?"

I shook my head, "I don't think you would, but Edward did."

Her mouth fell into a perfect 'O,' "Edward," she chided in a whisper.

He laughed over the composition he played.

"What did I tell you?" he murmured, loud enough for us to hear, "It's normal for newborns."

Esme looked slightly relieved at the revelation, so I took that as my moment to leave, knowing the sooner I left, the sooner I could come back.

Esme bode me farewell once again, and this time I made it out the door without hearing her feline hiss.

It was a short way from our house on the outskirts, into the center of town, and I usually kept to the recommended speed, but on that day I went as fast as I could.

Vampires love speed.

I inwardly groaned at the thought of having to enter a woman's clothing shop and ask the store keeper to pick out some clothes, for I knew it would have the town talking for weeks. I decided that Esme would be Edward cousin, and a niece of mine, so the gossip would not be quite so wild.

I pulled up along the side of the street and made my way down to the only dress shop in town.

It was owned and operated my a middle aged woman named Mable Fortendue, she and her husband also owned the shoemaker's next door. Their two daughters, Hazel and Mary both worked weekdays as shop assistants. Like most young females... like most female's in general, the girls found Edward's and my beauty irresistible, so I sent a quick prayer to Heaven above, that neither Hazel nor Mary would serve me today.

A little bell tinkled as I opened the door. Mrs. Fortendue came waddling to see who it was.

I sighed in relief and thanked the Lord.

"Doctor Cullen!" She exclaimed in surprise, her short arms rising in the air, "Such a lovely surprise!"

Mable Fortendue was a short, plump woman, who was enthused by all whom she met, I was no exception, in fact, I was the special exaggeration. "I didn't see you go off to work last night, my dear."

"No, Mrs. Fortendue, I was home with the flu. I wouldn't be out at all tody, but you see, my young orphaned niece has come to stay with Edward and I but the poor girl lost her suitcase on the train, and young Edward was positively frightened at the thought of women's clothing. So that only left me to come in and purchase some garments for her."

"Oh you do look pale dear."

No more pale than usual, Mrs. Fortendue, "Yes, I don't feel at all well. Perhaps you could pick out somethings for me while I pop to the post office and bookstore?" I asked sweetly.

"Oh, well of course Doctor Cullen! Just dresses and … the other things she will need?"

I nodded awkwardly and thanked her, hoping to take my leave before one of two things happened. Either her daughters appeared, or the conversation became even more unbearable.

Unfortunately for me, I hadn't moved quick enough to avoid the latter.

"But Doctor!" she called, "First you'll have to give me an idea of her size. I take it you know not her measurements?"

Awkwardness coursed through my veins and I heard faint giggles from the back room, "No. I'm afraid I do not."

Mrs. Fortendue nodded with a small smile, "Well is she big, or small, or in-between?"

"Small, I'd say."

"Well of course you would, look at how tall you are! Anything would be small to you! How high, would you say, on estimate?"

I put my hand beneath my chin, "About up to here. Five foot six, I would say."

She nodded, "How thin?"

"Quite," I murmured, the giggling grew.

"Oh shush girls," I heard Mr. Fortendue whisper.

She grinned, "Give me an estimate with your hands, you bashful boy. C'mon, now, don't be shy."

I wasn't shy, merely mortified as I held my hands a short width apart.

"Ah, so she is small. And her figure?" she asked inquisitively.

I blinked in confusion at her stare, "Her figure?" I croaked, in what would sound to them just the same as my voice usually would.

"Is she curvy, or straight, dumpy or broad shouldered? Bigger top? Bigger bottom? Not much of a waist? Or perfect all over?"

I cleared my throat, the giggling in the back room grew unbearably loud, "I'd say the same on the top as the bottom with a small waist."

Suddenly the giggling stopped, and Mrs. Fortendue let out a breath in such a way it sounded annoyed, "Perfect all over then," she muttered low enough no other human could hear, "Okay, I'll pick out some things for her. How much would you like?"

"As much as she'll need."

Mrs. Fortendue grinned, "You're a good uncle, Doctor."

I smiled and thanked her, before promising I'd be back soon to pay for and take the clothes. When I was out of that horrid little store, I breathed a big gulp of fresh air, and sighed, glad that was all over.

I went to the post shop next, picking up Edward and my monthly subscriptions, and picking out a few magazines for Esme. The shop attendant gave me a quizzical look as I handed them over for purchase, but I decided to ignore him, let him wonder, I thought.

I stopped by the bookstore on my way back to Mrs. Fortendue's and tried to decide on a book to bring home to Esme.

I saw the perfect book almost immediately, and as I felt the soft leather come into contact with my skin, I felt the memory of our first meeting come flooding back to me.

A.N. Yay next chapter we see how our beloved couple met! I hope you're all enjoying it so far. I thought I'd make this chapter a little shorter than chapter five, because that one was a humdinger! Reviews are welcome!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters.