song for this chapter
star man - david bowie
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"YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL!" Alice gasped as Este stepped out into Alice's bedroom. Alice was right, as usual. Este wasn't sure where Carlisle was taking her but she had been ensured that she had to look nice. Alice had found her a perfect blue dress, longer than knee length but not a gown. It was a powder blue, the material falling from her shoulders ever so slightly. It seemed to glide around her perfectly and she stood slightly elevated in a pair of heels.
"Yeah you did a good job" Este laughed, brushing her hair back off her face and examining the makeup that Alice had been doing for the last hour, or so it felt.
"I am talented, that's true" Alice jumped up from the bed, "however, you're already stunning so I suppose the hard work was done for me"
"You flatter me" Este laughed, picking up some dangling blue earrings and placing them in her ear.
"One more thing" Alice seemed very excited considering this was not her date, "I found it, in your jacket pocket ages ago. I wasn't looking through your things... I was just sorting your wardrobe out—"
"What is it?" Este frowned, turning to look at Alice.
She held out her pale palm. On top of her skin say something that Este had completely forgotten about. The coils of golden chain moved in perfect shapes connected to the same pendant that Este had once held onto to feel comfort, happiness, sadness, anger, frustration. Or really to feel anything at all. It was of course the necklace that Carlisle had bought her for her twenty second birthday all those years ago. She remembered it now as though it had been yesterday.
"I forgot about that" Este gasped as she walked over to Alice and took it lightly out of her hand.
"It's beautiful" Alice swooned, "simple yet definitely effective"
"Carlisle got me it" Este murmured.
"Oh how perfect!" Alice exclaimed, "here, turn around... I'll put it on"
Este smiled, moving her hair from the back of her neck and staring at herself in the mirror as the small star appeared between her collarbones again. For a long time she had worn this necklace everyday without explanation. Even after Carlisle had left her, even on the days she couldn't be more angry. It had sat there, cold metal against her icier skin. It hadn't been until Quinn had asked her about it that the necklace had found a new home in her pocket. It had always been there, waiting in the confide of the leather jacket, waiting for a second chance.
"There" Alice beamed, "I think we're all done now"
"Thank you Alice" Este smiled gently as she turned and hugged the girl tight. She really loved Alice. She doubted that anyone could help but love her considering the girls bubbly personality and brilliant optimism. It seemed that every corner of the world was bright because Alice was in it.
"Have a great night, I'm sure you will" Alice smiled knowingly before she disappeared away in a flash, probably to go and brag to Rosalie or Jasper about her incredible work.
Edward and Emmett were away, hunting somewhere in Washington for a change. Apparently Edward liked mountain lions and there were more of those in Washington than Colorado. Emmett preferred bears over anything else but at the moment he was desperate to make his brother happy, everyone was.
Este stood staring at herself in the mirror for a moment. It was no doubt that she was beautiful. This wasn't inherently a vampire thing although the clear skin that shone like glass, sleek dark hair and dark slanting eyelashes helped she'd always been gorgeous. Everyone had used to say it back when she was human. Este would've liked to say that she wasn't absorbed in looks and for years that might have been true but now with her fancy wardrobe and Alice's makeup skills she couldn't help but feel it again, beauty. Something she'd missed in the years of going rogue.
With one last glance, Este walked out of the room and towards the stairs. She was sure that Carlisle would be waiting in the entrance room, after all it didn't take nearly as long for him to get ready as it did for her.
Este walked slowly, making sure not to trip in her heels. As a vampire she had a lot of elegance, poise and grace but since she didn't often dabble in wearing heels precautions were always helpful. The Tv was blaring in the living room, some news channel going back and forth about celebrities houses and their New Years parties. Rosalie's choice of channels.
She walked past the living room, not needing to look in and strode into the entrance room. Carlisle was stood there, leant casually against the wall. As though Alice had orchestrated this, he wore a light blue shirt. The top button undone, along with some black dress pants. His sleeves were rolled up, vampires didn't require jackets, and in one hand he held a bunch of flowers. Lavender, her favourite. She wondered how he'd known.
Carlisle looked up as she walked in and (as he did nearly every time he saw her) stared at her as though it was the first time he'd laid eyes on her. His face broke into a smile as he held up the flowers for her to take.
"Thank you" Este smiled as she took them from him and leant forwards to kiss him.
"You look beautiful, as usual" he murmured into the kiss.
"As do you" Este winked, Carlisle laughed at this.
"You don't need to bring the flowers with you" he ran his hand over the side of her face, "I'm sure I'll be able to find a vase for them later"
"So where are we going?" Este asked casually, laying the flowers gently on a side table as she linked her hand with his and walked out of the door.
"I couldn't possibly say" Carlisle smirked, walking out into the fresh air.
"Well it's not like you're going to take me out for something to eat, so I suppose restaurant is off the table" Este mused to herself. Carlisle was walking her towards the garage. Were they driving somewhere? The large grey door slid forwards to open, revealing the array of cars that the Cullens had collected. There was a silver Volvo which belonged to Edward, a bright red convertible BMW which was Rosalie's, a large Jeep which was Emmett's, a Harley-Davidson motorbike which belonged to Jasper and finally the sleek black Mercedes which was of course, Carlisle's. The Cullens loved to show off it seemed.
Carlisle opened the passenger side door of the black car, signalling Este to step inside. She did so, letting him shut the door as he moved to the drivers seat.
"Not even a hint to where we're going?" Este asked, leaning her head back on the head rest to stare at him hopefully. He shook his head, turning the key in the Mercedes. Este had never been in one of the Cullens cars before. The Mercedes still smelt new, even though it wasn't. The leather was perfectly smooth. The car had a fresh scent about it. Definitely expensive.
The car came to life, driving swiftly out of the garage. Este hardly felt like it was moving. The Mercedes could have been floating down the road. There was a separate road down the hill to the one that the Cullens walked up. It was around the back of the house, a lot smoother but it took the driver further away from the centre of town.
As soon as Carlisle hit the main road, the speed started to rise. This was a thing with most vampires, speed. Este didn't mind it, she felt this kind of car must be built for speed. Carlisle seemed perfectly calm despite driving so fast, he was always calm. He had one hand on the steering wheel, the other leant against the window beside him.
"Does this thing have music?" Este asked.
"This thing?" Carlisle raised his eyebrows.
"Sorry, does your incredibly expensive and showy off Mercedes have music?" Este asked sarcastically. Carlisle laughed at this but nodded, pressing a button on the front of the car. It opened to a bunch of radio channels. Este frowned flipping through them.
"I don't even know what kind of music you like" Este gasped suddenly, turning to him as though this was a shocking revelation.
"That's not much of a surprise, I don't listen to music" Carlisle replied.
"You're joking" Este stared at him in amazement, "please say you're joking"
"What's wrong with not liking music?"
"Everything!" Este exclaimed in wonder, "music is incredible! It takes you places, it tells stories and there's so many different genres, I can't believe you think you don't like music. Music is my favourite thing about being immortal"
"How's that?" Carlisle asked curiously.
"Because we experience so much of it, the changes and the adaptations of something that was once such a simple concept. It makes me feel as though I've been a part of something, it's all about experience and living in the different years. A song can become a memory just as much as a photo can... I'm actually offended that you don't like music Carlisle"
"Offended?" Carlisle scoffed in laughter, "right well I apologise, it's obvious I'm missing out"
"Yes you are" Este agreed.
"Put something good on then" Carlisle smiled.
"Oh I will, although this radio isn't giving me much choice, and believe this... you will be a changed man, I'll make you love music"
"I'm sure you will" Carlisle smirked.
Este kept switching across the radios until the beginning of a familiar song started playing. She was immediately transported back to the seventies. 1972 if she could remember correctly, and that was usually the case for Estella, she could see the colours and the drama, the laughter and the costumes.
"This is a brilliant song" Este stated, turning it up.
"What is it?" Carlisle asked. Este tried not to be upset that he hadn't heard it.
"Starman, Bowie"
"Bowie?"
"Oh come on!" Este stared at him in exasperation, "David Bowie!"
"Oh yeah" Carlisle nodded unconvincingly.
"You don't know who he is" Este muttered in fake bitterness.
"No I don't" Carlisle shook his head.
"Well listen and learn" Este leant back in her chair with a smile on her face.
They drove through the darkness of the night with the music filling the car with Este's memories. With every new song she found herself describing to Carlisle the appeal of concerts and clubs, the feeling of new records and dancing. He seemed to be happy to hear her talk to expressively about something she loved. Este hadn't even realised how much music had been a comfort to her until she stared explaining it to Carlisle.
She hadn't even noticed the car was slowing until Carlisle parked and the radio clicked off. Este looked up in surprise out of the front windscreen. Her eyes met with a sky full of stars, beautifully glittering up until the horizon. The horizon was clouded by mountain tops and jagged hills yet the stars couldn't be clearer. In front of the indigo sky was a large stone gazebo, fairy lights wrapped around the entire thing creating a flood of warm light around the grass that it touched.
"That's beautiful" Este murmured as she pushed the car open and climbed out to get a better view, "Alice's doing?"
"Shocked that you think I'm not capable of this" Carlisle smiled in sarcasm, "but yes, Alice's doing"
Estella laughed, closing the car door and walking in awe towards the gazebo. The stone was a pale pink, the wooden stairs and railings were painted white and the floor was a dull beige wood. She stepped up onto the platform, looking up to see hanging flowers above her. A mixture of lavender and baby's breath. It was incredible to look at. She felt the golden light over her skin, as she turned, trying to stare at everything at once.
She turned back to Carlisle who was leant again this car with a loving smile. He could've taken her anywhere and she would've loved it, anywhere with Carlisle was a place that she wanted to be yet the beauty of the gazebo, adorned in lights and flowers. Estella couldn't imagine anything more perfect.
"Are you allowed to go around hanging flowers and lights on public property?" Este joked as she ran her hand over the railings.
"I bought it" Carlisle stated simply.
"Course you did, should've known" Este smiled as she span around in the centre of the wooden floor, staring at the flowers above her.
"So, Estella" Carlisle began in a professional tone, "do you dance?"
Estella laughed again, her smile lighting up her entire face.
"I can dance" she nodded, "but only if there's music" she pointed at him warningly.
"Course" Carlisle reached in the car again and turned the radio back on full, "do you trust me to find a channel or is it better to leave that to you"
"I'm not sure you're ready to be choosing channels yet" Este mused, "but go ahead give it a go"
Carlisle smirked, his head tilted to the side slightly as he switched through the channels. It was when Este heard the sound of piano notes echoing through the car that she told him to stop.
"You like this one?" Carlisle asked.
"Like it?" Este grinned, "this is queen! Surely you know queen?"
"Queen as in royalty?" Carlisle murmured in confusion as he left the radio playing and strode over to the gazebo to join her.
"Close, queen as in Freddie Mercury"
"I'm unfamiliar" Carlisle frowned, taking her hand and pulling him towards her. "What's the name of the song?"
"Love of my life" Este said quietly.
"Fitting" Carlisle hummed as the voice of Freddie Mercury filled the space around them.
It seemed their memory of dancing from so many years ago hadn't been lost to them, despite the newer forms of posture and holds that creeped in each century, Carlisle and Este still found themselves in one recognised from the 1800s. The difference of their modernity being their closeness. It would've been considered obscene for two unmarried dancers to be so close together. Of course that was considered ridiculous these days but Este still felt the beating of drama in the lights around them.
Carlisle and Este swayed gently together, her body almost pressed against his. He had his hand lain on her back, hers on his arm as they turned in even circles around the floor of the gazebo. Every footstep was placed perfectly, never a misstep, never a wrong calculation.
Este was lost in the depth of his eyes yet she could still feel every move, still feel the wind brush against her dress and see the lights and the flowers that adorned them. They were in a beautiful world of their own with no eyes nor opinions to watch them.
Carlisle moved his touch over her arm as he went to turn her gracefully. As he did so, the blues of her dress fanned out elegantly around them, catching the light in the perfect way. Este fell back into him, looping her arms around his neck so their noses almost brushed together. He leant his face forwards to rest his forehead on hers, closing his eyes as though to appreciate every sense of the moment.
After a few seconds, Este moved away, regaining her position with him again as they continued to dance gracefully as though on the floor of a 19th century ballroom. They rose and fell with the beat of the music, twisting in harmony to the gorgeous tones of the music.
Carlisle lowered Este backwards lightly, she threw her head back dramatically and laughed, holding the position for a moment before she used his arm to pull herself back up, knocking against him for a second. He steadied her, his eyes not meeting hers.
It took her a moment to realise what he was staring at, it was the necklace glowing on her neck. Este had almost forgotten about it but now she could feel the metal against her skin, the chain moving with every turn.
"You kept it?" Carlisle looked confused.
"It meant a lot to me" Este replied as they swayed back and forth. A small smile appeared on Carlisle's face as Este leant away from him, outstretching her arm delicately before she turned into his grip and found her back against his shoulder.
Este leant back, her hair falling over him as he wrapped his arms around her waist. They swayed back and forth again as Este rested the space between her forehead in the crevice of his neck.
Carlisle moved her forwards again, Este span with a laugh, placing her hands on his shoulders as he lifted her into the air. She stared down at his eyes before she was below him again.
She found her hands on either side of his face as the music swelled. They were still moving back and forth, placing their footsteps across the floor. Carlisle had his hands on her arms, his fingers moving slowly up and down. Este smiled as she leant forwards and kissed him. She wrapped her arms around his neck now, his hands were tight on her waist.
Este heard the beautiful song start to fade into nothing, her eyes closed yet still seeing the beauty around her. She breathed in the perfect scent of the man in front of her. Tilting her head so she could be closer to him, if this was even possible. One of her hands found his hair as usual, twining her fingers through the soft strands.
Serenity poured over them, no longer moving with the music but standing stationary in the centre of the perfectly lit gazebo. The world was wonderful, the stars were a clear picture of excellence and the moon glistened it's blessing down onto them. For a moment Este had forgotten where she was, maybe even who she was. Este only cared that Carlisle was in front of her.
All of a sudden a new song started blaring out of the radio. Este believed that it was something by Madonna, not really her taste. The sound was loud and unwanted in their priorly peaceful moment. Este laughed into the kiss she'd been sharing with Carlisle.
She buried her face into his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. She hugged his waist and wished for eternity as she closed her eyes gently.
"You were convincing me about music for a moment" Carlisle smiled as Este moved away from him and placed a light kiss on his cheek.
"You can't like all music" Este rolled her eyes as she took a step back, "everyone has their preferences"
"What's your preference then?" Carlisle asked.
"Right now, anything we can dance to" she grinned, turning and hurrying down the stairs towards the car. She leant over the door and started messing with the radio again. Names flashed on the small orange screen for just a moment before she'd frown and go to the next channel.
At some point she looked up to see Carlisle standing staring at her from the gazebo. For a moment she was distracted. He had his hands clasped behind his back and an entertained smile on his face. His eyes stared directly at her, not the stars or the lights or the flowers. In this world there was only Este and in their world there was only love.
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A/n
Words - 3297
Published - 6th May 2022
Working on a sequel for
this set in the actual twilight era