A/N: 'Ello darlings! No I have not died just taken time away to work on some more bits of writing including this little mini story! I hope you enjoy but i must advize caution for later chapters for much like the force that cracks the glass doll's skin some are not so gentle.

Chapter 1.

"Happy birthday Nell-bell!"

Newly 5 year old Eleanor Walker smiled wide enough her rosey cheeks hurt but she didn't care as her deep brown eyes looked around the dining room. It was decorated with paper streamers and balloons, around the table there were three children around her age, she knew each face but was really only close to two of the children. A girl with long yellow blonde hair, blue eyes and an angelic face sat closest to her, Nellie knew her as Lucy Archer only because her mother had forced her to play with the blonde over the years.

Beside Lucy sat Nellie's brother, Alex, his green eyes a light with excitement for his younger sister as he brushed his mud colored fringe of hair out of his eyes smiling. Lastly sitting closest to the chair saved for her was her best friend in all of London Benjamin Barker. He was smiling just as brightly as Alex, his onyx eyes were focused on her overjoyed to see her smiling. Without a thought Nellie left her parent's sides and made a beeline for Ben hugging him the moment she reached him making the 6 year old's cheeks turn pink as he hugged her back before laughing as they fell from th chair landing beside each other on the rug.

"Ops."

The word was giggled as Nellie got up helping Ben up before taking her saved place at the head of the table. As things settled down Alice, Nellie's mother, brought out a cake she'd baked, and placed 5 candles atop, from the kitchen before setting it on the table in front of Nellie who smiled as Elijah, her father, used a match to light the candles and everyone sang. At the end of the song Nellie blew out the candles proud she'd done it in one go, before standing on her chair to point out the piece she wanted. After eating cake it was time to open gifts, Nellie's favorite part. She reached for a gift wrapped in red paper but Ben stopped her gently grabbing her hand.

"Open it last, it's the one I brought."

Nellie stared at him a moment but nodded grabbing instead a gift wrapped in purple paper, the card said it was from Lucy and her family. Ripping the paper away she unveiled a book of blank paper, a few coal drawing pencils, and a wooden box for the items, she smiled at Lucy happy that even though they had never really gotten along the blonde had paid attention to Nellie's fondness for drawing. The next gifts were a book of pressed flowers from Alex, a hand sewn quilt from her mother and a glorious scarlet dress with black beading from her father, who got a huge hug and kiss for it, leaving only Ben's gift.

Ben handed her the gift biting his lip as she opened the paper. When the doll was brought into the light Nellie's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. It was a beautiful porcelain doll in a red and black gown, her eyes were the same warm brown as Nellie's and the elegant but messy curls were the exact same shade of auburn red.

"Do you like it? Mother and I ordered her special from a catalog just for you."

Anybody that truly knew the audacious 5 year old knew she didn't care for things like dolls so when she softly set it down and hugged Ben jumping excitedly everyone was surprised.

"I love 'er, she's beautiful Ben! Thank you and thank your mum to!"

Ben laughed watching her bounce as she picked up the doll and held it close to her smiling as though she'd been given the best gift ever given.

A/N: Okay i know it's short and some of the chapters will be but it's just how I wanted to write it, simply explaining it is that each chapter is a stage in Nellie's life where something happens, good or bad, and it will go on that way to the end. I hope you enjoyed reading the first cute chapter please review it's always welcomed so long as you are not hating on the story just to hate. Thank you all!