Edward
"Ally honey, hurry up" I yelled up the stairs while trying to navigate the box strewn entrance of our new home. I have been meaning to get this shit taken care of but over the last three weeks it has proven to be impossible with my work schedule and taking care of Ally.
"Coming daddy" she yelled back at me. I knew it was still going to be at least another five minutes before I saw my daughter. She spent way too much time with her aunt these days. I supposed it was probably for the best.
Ally had never known her mother; Tanya had a hard pregnancy and died shortly after giving birth. It was one of the happiest days of my life, and one of the worst. It was discovered soon after Ally was born that Tanya had grown a rather large tumor on the wall of her uterus that tore away while giving birth, causing her to bleed to death in a matter of minutes.
The damage was too great for them to be able to repair it in time to save her. I had been in the nursery watching my daughter while her mother had been dying. I still felt the deep guilt for that. They didn't know it was there because Ally was always in the way during the scans.
I was pulled from my memories to the sound of Ally stomping her way down the stairs, for such a small five year old, she sure could make a great deal of noise. That she gets from her uncle Emmett. When she made it to the bottom of the stairs I had to smile.
She was wearing her pink overalls with a white long sleeve shirt and, to my great amusement, her white chucks. Alice hated the things, but Ally had a penchant for them, it was something I myself had a penchant for. What I didn't understand is, if Alice hated them so much, why did she buy them for her?
The same goes for her clothes. I often find Alice grumbling about what my daughter is wearing wondering why when she is the one who purchased them for her. Overalls happened to be one of Ally's favorite pieces of clothing and she insisted on the oddest socks.
"What socks today Ally?" I asked. She lifted up her pants leg and showed me some socks that were rather tame compared to some of her others. They were a mixture of dark brown, pink, blue, and green in swirls with white stars on them.
"Those are pretty"
Ally's bronze hair was a mess of curls that bounced around her face as she walked and her eyes danced with mirth. She smiled up at me, "I wore them for mathair" she exclaimed. The name I assumed she always called Alice. The first time I heard Ally say it I thought she was saying meth head, but as she got older she became a bit clearer. It was a strange nickname for her aunt, but I guess it could be worse. Though I sometimes do still wish Ally's mom was around.
There was very little of Tanya in her looks, it saddened me. She even had my green eyes. Though Tanya was just a very loyal friend who understood my need to have a child, even though I had no mate, she was still going to be a vital part of Ally's life. It saddened me Ally was never going to be able to meet her mother.
It was an agreement between me and Tanya that she would know her mother. It was hard for me to lose such a great friend. I felt guilty that my want for a child was the cause for her death. I still had a tendency to blame myself, even though everyone tells me, and I know because I'm a doctor, that they are right about that not being true. I shook myself free of my thoughts and addressed my daughter once more.
"Finally" I said, grabbing her pack and guiding her out the door, "do you have all your things?"
"Yes daddy" she said like I'd asked her the same thing five times in a row. I could practically see her eye roll through her tone. Yep, too much time with Aunt Alice.
"Your Aunt Alice will be picking you up from school OK?"
"OK" she said innocently as I buckled her into her seat. I tickled her sides and made her shriek in laughter before closing her door and heading to my own.
"Daddy?" Ally called from the back seat.
"Yes Pumpkin?"
"Where do babies come from?" I practically swallowed my tongue when she asked me this. What the hell would she need to know that for? How the hell was I supposed to answer that?
"Ally…um…" I was a doctor for Christ's sake, why couldn't I answer this simple question, "why do you want to know sweetie?" I asked instead to give myself time to think.
"My teacher said she's having a baby. I get a new teacher today. Miss Jessica says she's really nice." Ah, I had forgotten her teacher was taking her maternity leave. I had planned on meeting the new teacher, but my schedule this morning wouldn't allow it.
"Well honey, you know how your teachers tummy has been growing?" I watched her nod her head in the rearview mirror, "the baby is inside her tummy and when the time is right the baby will come out."
"But how daddy?" This was a little harder to answer. I shifted my gaze from my daughter, currently holding her stuffed rabbit, to the road. How the hell do I explain this… I was saved when I saw the school come into view.
"We're here" and thank fuck for that. I got out of the car while ally unbuckled herself from her seat, getting around just in time for her to jump out of the car with her pack. She gave me a quick hug and ran towards the door of her classroom where there was a petite woman with brown hair standing with her back towards me. Must be the new teacher she was talking about.
"Love you daddy" Ally yelled. That child had more energy than any child should have. I shook my head and made my way into the car. I looked over at Ally just in time to witness her grabbing hold of the waist of the woman, definitely the new teacher.
Instead of ruffling her hair, holding Allies hand, or just hugging my daughter back, the teacher picked her up and spun her around before setting her back down. I could see Ally squealing and laughing from the car. I had to smile. I didn't get much of a glimpse of the new teacher, but the children must really like her because she was surrounded by them. My smile grew as I pulled away from the school and headed to work.
My smile only lasted until I got there, it was pure mayhem. "What the hell?" I questioned the first nurse I passed on my way to change. "Thank god you're here Dr. Cullen…" and she pulled me quickly to the nearest patient. So much for changing into some scrubs.
Four hours later the last of the patients from the accident were being transferred out of the ER and to their destination in the hospital. I fell onto the first empty gurney and took in a deep breath, covering my eyes with my arm to block out the harsh lights.
"Here" I heard from beside me and removed my arm to see a bottle of water being waved in front of me. I grabbed it, managed to sit up, and quickly began to guzzle.
I finished the bottle off and wiped my mouth off with my sleeve, "thanks, nice way to start a day huh?"
"Well…" he said with a chuckle and sat next to me, "son, I've had worse." I nodded my head, so had I.
"You might want to consider changing before your mother meets us for lunch though. Despite being married to a doctor all these years and having a son that is one, she still doesn't like to see us covered in blood" and he nodded his head towards my clothes.
I looked down and groaned. "Shit, this was my favorite tie. Ally gave it to me last year for Christmas."
My dad sniggered, "give it to your mom. She has some tricks up her sleeves. She's salvaged more than one tie of mine over the years, the shirt though…your sister's going to be pissed."
"Nah, gives her a reason to do some shopping."
"Ah, you do know her weaknesses well. Go get a shower and change before we go and meet your mother." He patted me on the back and got up. I noticed his own attire, "Dad, you might want to consider doing the same" and I pointed at his shirt.
He looked down at himself, "guess you're right" and he followed me to the showers. The both of us met Esme at the entrance to the restaurant, ties in hand and sheepish looks. She just shook her head and pulled a plastic bag out of her purse to put them in. She shrugged when I raised an eyebrow up at her.
"Always be prepared, not the first time your father has gifted me with the present of a bloody tie." She lifted mine up, "this is the one Ally gave you" and she sighed, "you should know better than to wear one you really want to keep."
I leaned in and gave her a kiss, "sorry mom." All was forgiven as she gave me a kiss and we headed for the table.
"Nice scrubs, by the way" she chuckled along with my father as we sat.
"Yeah well, apparently the older generation gets to pick first," I commented, giving a sour look. The Scooby Doo shirt and red pants were all that were left after Carlisle had gotten the last of the blue ones.
"Hey, I resemble that comment" he retorted with a smile "and I do not do Scooby Doo. I like Shaggy better." We all laughed at that knowing it was true. Once our orders were placed and we had our drinks my mother started on the same lecture she did every time she saw me.
"So…" here we go, "I met this lovely young lady through a client the other day…"
"Mother, I just want to concentrate on Ally right now." I sighed, I knew she was not going to let this go.
"It's been five years Edward, you need to have a life too. Ally would understand." This conversation was going nowhere fast.
"Ally and I just moved to the new house and are still trying to settle in. Give me just a little more time. Please mother."
"Don't mother me, I'll give you one more month, then the gloves come off" and she held up her hands like she was going to fight. I suppressed a smile.
"Fine, one month."
"Your mothers just looking out for you son, I agree with her intentions. You really do need something beyond being a doctor and a father, no matter how noteworthy both of those are."
Nice getting my back dad, I mused. I just nodded my head at the two of them. "Fine, but I will look on my own, I don't want you setting me up with someone. I feel like you're trying to pimp me out or something. If I meet someone, I want to do it on my terms, not yours. Alright?"
"Alright dear, just promise me you'll actually try to meet someone." I was about to answer her when my phone went off. It was Alice.
"Hey Alice"
"Oh Edward" she exclaimed and I grew a bit worried.
"What's the matter?" At my tone both my parents looked at me with worried expressions.
"Ally's school just called and they said she hurt herself. I'm on my way there right now to pick her up and bring her in. Bella thinks she might have broken her arm."
"How long before you get there?" I was getting out of my chair and pulling out my wallet while I listened.
"I'm just pulling into the school now, I should be at the hospital in ten minutes at the most."
"I'll meet you at the ER entrance" I rushed and hung up.
"What's wrong dear" my mother said in a rush.
"Ally's hurt, Alice is bringing her into the ER, they think her arm is broken." I placed some bills on the table and my parents didn't even argue over the bill. They just followed me out.
"What happened?" dad asked as we waited for our cars.
"I don't know, I'll ask when she gets there." He nodded his head.
"I'll meet you guys at the hospital" my mother yelled when they brought my car and Carlisle and I got in. I was gunning the engine before I even had a chance to put on my seat belt.
We ran to the ER and got to the reception desk the same time they did. Alice rushed up to me and began to explain.
"She was on the monkey bars when she slipped and fell. Bella said she wasn't that far up, but she must have hit the ground just right." I could hear Ally crying.
"Where is she?" I asked.
Alice pointed towards the chairs and I rushed over. Before I could process anything else I was looking into the most stunning brown eyes I had ever seen.
"I am so sorry Dr. Cullen. I just turned my back for a second to separate a fight between two boys and the next thing I knew she was on the ground and crying. I'm not a doctor, but I know her arm is broken and called Alice as soon as I could." She had tears in her eyes and there was no way I could be mad at her.
I took in the scene in front of me. Ally was only sniffling by this time and the woman was holding an ice pack to her arm while cradling her on her lap. Ally had her head on her shoulder and was holding on tight to her neck with the other, her hand tangled in her long hair.
"It's alright…" I said, searching for her name.
"Bella"
Beautiful "Bella" and I knelt in front of them and turned to Ally. "Ally, honey, want to come with daddy now? We need to take some pictures of your arm." She nodded her head.
"Can Miss Bella come?" she asked with a sniffle. I looked up at Bella and she nodded her head.
"Sure honey" I went to take her from Bella but Ally just wove her hand deeper into Bella's hair and held on tighter. I was shocked. Bella gave me a small apologetic smile and stood up. I shook myself of my shock and began leading them to x-ray.
How could Ally have created such an attachment in only hours? I could hear Bella murmuring words of comfort to my daughter while we walked and I felt a tug on my heart.
00000000oooooooo00000000oooooooo00000000
Alice
As soon as they turned down the hall I looked over at mom and dad.
"Did you see that?" I asked a bit excited. Mom had the same look as me and dad just smiled while still looking at the door we just exited.
"I did, I knew it." She agreed nodding her head.
"What are the two of you up to?" my father asked with his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised, he knew damn well what we were up to because he was up to the same thing.
"You know damn well what we are up to" I called him out and he chuckled but kept that innocent look on his face.
"I have no idea what you're talking about" he answered still smiling, "though she's like another daughter to me and your mother, and Charlie has turned into one of my best friends" he finally gave in.
"Well, this is the first time that Edward and Bella have met." I replied.
"That still astounds me, how is it that five years could go by and the two of them have never interacted?" he asked.
"They just never seemed to intersect. Edward was at another school than us, always four years ahead. Every time he came to the house for dinner Bella was otherwise occupied. I have been trying to get these two to meet up forever. When Ally was born and Tanya…" I shook my head.
"It wasn't the right time then either and Bella was just getting over a bad breakup." He nodded his head in understanding. "Oh, this is too good" I said, finally dropping into a seat in the waiting room. I beamed at my mother.
"I knew the two of them would meet eventually. They had to. Even though Bella was trying her damndest to avoid it, I think she thought Edward wouldn't be keen on the idea, though in the beginning I imagine he probably wouldn't have been." The two of them nodded their heads in agreement, they each knew how hard it had been on Edward.
"I think it would have been better for Edward, all this wasted time" mom let out with a frustrated sigh. Bella loves Ally like a daughter and it would have killed her to see her call another woman mother. Every time Ally looks at Bella she has this longing in her eyes. She even slipped once while we were at the zoo and called her mom. Oh, Bella positively beamed before correcting her. That was when Bella told her to call her 'mathair'. It wasn't until later when I looked up the meaning of the word that Ally was still actually calling her mother."
"I think Edward is in trouble. I've got to call Charlie and tell him" he said shaking his head and pulling out his phone. Those two men were as bad as mom and I when it came to gossip. They just weren't willing to admit it.
"You got that right" I said.
"Oh, this is going to be fun" my mom exclaimed with a beaming smile on her face and the two of us embraced and jumped in place with excitement. I could see dad rolling his eyes, but he was also telling Charlie all about what was happening.