A/N – (I don't own twilight or the characters in any way.All credit goes toStephanie Meyers)

Wedding Dress

Esme's P.O.V.

Since that day everything went round in a whirlwind. Plans were made, the church was booked and although Carlisle wouldn't let me see them, rings were bought.

I didn't think my life could get any better than this, but I was wrong. Not only did the one man I had ever dreamt of being with love me, but he wanted to marry me as well. I had everything I only could have dreamt of having whilst I was human. I wasn't as breakable anymore and I wasn't as weak as before. Carlisle mended me, and in a way, I mended him too.

"Esme Cullen." I whispered to myself. The name rolled easily off my tongue. How right it seemed to say. I was Dr. Cullen's bride and future wife.

"Esme?" Tanya flitted into the room behind me, her smile wide as she leaned against the door frame.

"Tanya..."

"I can tell you're happy."

"I am very happy. I have my life back on track."

"I can tell. That grin could put Lewis Caroll's characters to shame." Her laugh echoed through the near empty house.

"Maybe he based the Cheshire cat on me?"

"Unless he could see into the future." Another eruption of giggles went round the room. Tanya was like my sister now. We had become close friends and I was thankful for being able to talk to her about problems that would crop up now and then.

"What are you two doing up there?" Kate called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Nothing..."

"Hmm, well, we have to get going."

"Kate, I think you should go without me."

She appeared as if by magic in the door way next to Tanya. Her face was questioning.

"Why?"

"Because if I can help it, I would like to try and not massacre the entire town." She sighed as she walked towards me.

"You won't." She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "You've done it before."

"Yes, in the car."

"And? You didn't need restraining. You were literally in the middle of town any way and although it was uncomfortable, you resisted didn't you?"

"I...well I guess so."

"Right, so what's the matter?"

"Just, Carlisle isn't there and..."

"You don't think you can do it without him." I nodded my head. She knew me well. "Well Esme, I know you can, and I know you will. Just picture him and I promise it'll be easier." She put two fingers underneath my chin lifting my head up to meet her eyes.

"I believe you."

"Good girl, now come on." She offered me her arm which I linked with mine. "We have to get this dress fitted."

I sighed "That's if I don't end up killing the dress maker first." Her laughter filled the empty air once again.

"Oh Esme, you have too many doubts."

"I'm sure I do." I mumbled.

"There you are." Irina was sat on the wall outside the cottage. Her arms were folded and she held a fake frown. "Talk about waiting eternity."

"Very funny." Kate responded.

The car glowed dimly in the over cast weather. The car – my old friend – was waiting like usual in the garage. For 5 months now we had been testing my tolerance to human blood. It was getting better, but I'd still managed to slip up a view times. Only three times had I made it into town and now they were expecting me to get a wedding dress fitted?

"Right, it's only going to be around a 10 minute journey okay?"

"Right, go ahead." Tanya continued. The car burst into life, arguing like me, with the journey we were about to go on.

"Anyway, I doubt anyone will be out today, it's overcast and the rain is bound to come down hard."

"Right...and that's supposed to make things easier." Tanya's mouth twitched.

"Slightly."

The trees stood strong as the wind picked up. Like Tanya had said, the skies had finally opened and now the rain relentlessly fell from the sky. The pitter-patter of the rain falling onto the car calmed me as I made sure not to think of the task ahead.

"If you go down Park Street, the dress shop should be the third shop to the right..." Irina mumbled directions as Kate followed her instructions.

Town? I'd made it in to town without realising it? I looked out my rain streaked window to see shops lined up in neat rows next to each other. Sure my throat was uncomfortable, but town? How I made it, I didn't know. What happened to my crazy thrashing about as I was pinned to the seat? What happened to me going wild?

"Esme?" I saw my almost stunned expression in Tanya's golden orbs as she smiled widely at me. My eyes were an orangey-yellow as the transaction from new born to one year old came closer and closer.

"We're here..."

I had to choke out the words. "I...know."

"Surprised?" I nodded, the shock still sinking in.

"I...I..."

"You did it."

"I did." Kate flashed a huge smile at me in the rear view mirror.

The car slowed down as Kate parked in front of the shop we were soon to go into. The shop was small, but sweet and I knew, without a doubt, that I would find a dress I loved.

"Wait, wait, wait!. If you don't kill the seamstress out of thirst, than I'm sure she'll keel over out of shock."

"What?" I retorted defensively.

"Esme, your eyes aren't exactly human..."

"Oh..."

"Exactly."

"So what am I supposed to do?" She held out a small box out to me. "How's that going to help?"

She sighed as she flipped the lid open. "Contacts."

"Will they work?"

"Yes, after all, I'm wearing a pair now." I gasped as I realised her eyes were an almost violet blue colour. "I didn't notice."

"I gathered. Anyway, they're meant to be blue, but because of your natural eye colouring being slightly yellow, they'll come out green." I smiled a nostalgic smile as I remembered my human reflection. My eyes used to be green, a sparkling bright green.

"Thank you."

"That's what I'm here for...and, well, to help pick your dress as well." I took the small contacts out of the box and one by one, placed them carefully over my "un-human" orbs.

"That's better." I nodded as she smiled kindly at me. "You'll have to replace them later though; the venom will wear them out soon enough." She handed me another small box as she got out the car.

My eyes wondered to the rear view mirror. I could see my reflection in perfect clarity. The green of my eyes nearly tricked me into believing I was human again. Green eyes stared back at me, and although that should've felt normal, it didn't. Red, orange and soon to be gold were normal for me now.

"Esme?" My day dreaming was cut short as Tanya knocked on my window. "It would be a good start if you actually got out of the car." If I could blush, this would've been the moment. I had been captivated by my own reflection once again.

"Right, okay... stupid contacts" I muttered. Quickly opening the door, I got out, only to be met with heavy rain and gale force winds. Lovely weather, I thought.

Kate held my shoulders, her eyes apologetic. "I know it's not big but-

"No, no, it's fine. I like simple."

She took my hand "So do I."

"Hello ma'am, I here you need my assistance?" A white haired man came out of the shop, his wife by his side. I could hear his heart beat and the blood rushing around his veins. I could hear his harsh breathing and I could smell the luring scent of Human blood.

NO. I warned myself as he came closer. You're not weak anymore; you won't hurt Carlisle like that.

The feral Esme roared in disagreement as she was kept back from the one thing she needed. My human self, if you could call it that, wouldn't allow her.

Why not? He hasn't got a chance, and anyway, you know how much relief human blood brings compared to an animal's. She poked back.

NO. I repeated again. I won't give into you. I've worked too hard.

But you know you want it. The hard work could just end up in you slipping...again.

You can't control me. I exclaimed.

We'll see about that... I screamed at her as she ducked back into the shadows. My breathing was heavy as I battled against instincts I couldn't use.

What scared me most was how I could feel my body ready for attack. I wouldn't do it, no, but I was slowly conditioning my senses to stop the immediate reflex.

"Come on." I felt Kate's hand on the small of my back. "You're doing great." She whispered.

"Really..." My voice sounded nervous, betraying my determined actions ever so slightly.

"Now, about this dress." The man's wife came towards me with a tape measure. I stepped back a bit as the wind from the closing door sent her scent in my direction. My hands were balled up by my sides as her heart beat became distinctively louder.

"Are you okay, Miss?" The old man questioned as he signed some papers off.

I had to clear my throat before answering. "Yes, thank you."

"Arms up, dear." The elderly woman patted my shoulder as I did what she said. Her husband had joined her on her other side. "Right..." I didn't quite catch the end. She mumbled and her husband wrote measurements down. "And your waist?" I held the beginning of the tape measure as she pulled it delicately around my waist. Her husband continued scribbling down measurements and inches. "Could you hold it here for me?" I nodded as she gave me the end of the tape measure again and rolled the other end down so it was by my feet. "You're quite tall aren't you?"

"Yes, 5'6" if I remember correctly."

Her kind smile relaxed me slightly. "Then whatever dress or design you choose, it will surely fit you wonderfully. You have the build for it my dear." I smiled as her husband continued to scribble things down. I did have the build for it. I had all the right curves in all the right places and my body was quite slender, although without child birth, I wouldn't have had those curves in the first place.

A jolt of pain shot through my body as my hands balled up again.

Why did things so easily remind me of him?

"Esme?" Tanya placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Yes?"

"What material do you want?" A mischievous smile touched her lips.

"That's not exactly easy." Her smiled got wider.

"Oh, I know. That's why we're here to help."

I sighed exasperated. "You're not going to let me go are you?"

She was thoughtful for a moment before answering. "No."

I closed my eyes; a smile crept up on the corners of my mouth. This was going to be a very long day.

A/N – Sorry if it feels like it's taken me forever to update, but here it is.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this Chapter, and I promise the next chapter will be the wedding.

If you have time, please review! Thanks, Katie1995