Authors Notes:

PT: Hey y'all.... *waves* We're better known as Pixie-Tinks83 and xMissCullenx but we were talking on MSN and the plot bunnies kicked in.... so here we are....

MC: Been on an emotional yet exciting rollercoaster writing this!

PT: but we hope you love it....

MC: I write Alice and she *points to PT* writes Jas...

PT: Catch ya at the bottom *runs away*

MC: Wait up.... *runs away too*

DISCLAIMER: All recognised characters are owned by the very talented Mrs Meyer, we do however own the plot bunnies.

PLAYLIST: Hana Pestle - Need

APOV

It had been six long and lonely months; six months of feeling as if part of me was missing. And, in truth it was. Emmett might not be my husband of fifty years or the man I'd promised to marry, nor was I carrying his baby, but he was and always would be my big brother. Growing up we'd only really had each other to rely on, which had always made us close. We were always there for each other.

Emmett and I had both been brought up in a foster home. Not that it was a bad place. We'd always been looked after and cared for, but it just wasn't the same as having real parents who loved you unconditionally. The place was run by Carlisle and Esme Cullen, a couple who realized they couldn't have children when they'd first married, and had devoted their lives to children with the likes of Emmett and I.

I was four when I moved into the foster home, I'd been handed around so many families during my little life and it was getting to me, so social services had decided that it would be best for me if I was in place, where they could keep an eye on me.

My parents had died when I was just two years old. It was on the day that we were driving home from the hospital, bringing my mother and newborn baby sister home. A truck had crashed into the side of our car on the freeway and had spun out of control and had gone down a banking. Apparently the only reason why I'd survived was that I was just on the right side of the car at the time, and was lucky to get out with only mild issues, unfortunately the same couldn't be said for my parents and sister, and so I was left alone.

At first I was sent to live with the only relative who lived in Biloxi with us, my mother's great aunt, but after a few months she had to hand me over, not being able to cope with an excitable little toddler at her age. And, so, it was then that the process of me being passed around like a game of 'pass the Alice.' And yet, though Esme had always described me as excitable little thing, she always added that it was the one of the things she likes the most about me, I always seemed to have a smile for everyone. But, I wasn't always a bundle of smiles and bright eyes. In truth I was somewhat troubled, during the night after I'd fallen asleep, it was like I was a different person, I turned into a frightened little girl that no-one seemed to be able to control. Every time I fell asleep I had nightmares of the crash. One family who had too much cash to flash had taken me to see a shrink, who only managed to tell them that I'd been affected by the event and that I'd most probably grow out of it. At that age it couldn't have remembered much but I knew it was scary and it was the incident that changed my life and had me passed around.

Emmett had already been living at the foster home for a few years, and was seven when I went there. Since my parents had died, I'd always had substitutes in my foster parents who tried their best, but I was never in a family with more than just me, so, when I arrived at the children's home it was a bit of a culture shock. It was new to me to have so many children around, and I didn't quite understand. I kept asking Carlisle and Esme who my next mommy and daddy would be, and though they told me that that's who they'd try to be, I still didn't quite get it.

On my first night, after I'd been tucked into my brand new bed, I had the same nightmare, bringing me out of my sleep state and not even the pretty little fairies decorated on the lemon walls were an assurance. Not sure of what to do, and not wanting to stay in the room that brought my nightmares back to me, I crept downstairs and went to sit in the living room, only to realize I wasn't alone.

"You okay?" Someone had asked me, causing me to jump. "Sorry didn't mean to scare you." he'd added as he stepped out of the shadows and flicked on the light. "I'm Emmett." He said, holding his hand out to me. Instead of taking it and shaking his hand, I'd fallen into him, flinging my arms around his waist and cried my little eyes out. But what I learnt that I loved about him from that moment was that he didn't jump that a stranger had practically attacked him, or flinch that a 'icky girl' had touched him, no, instead, he'd wrapped his arms around me and sat me down with him on the sofa.

That night I fell asleep curled up in his lap, with him stroking my hair as I was falling asleep and me practically purring with his gentle and comforting touch. He'd named me his little Ali-Cat that and I'd named his Emmy-Bear as his big form held me and kept me warm and safe against my inner-demons. And from that night on we had practically been inseparable.

When Emmett turned eighteen and left the home I was so worried I'd lose him. He'd obviously left three years before, but to both of our likings he didn't go far. He'd gone to the closest college, which was only twenty minutes from the home. He picked me after high school every day and we'd spend the evenings together, then at the end of the night, he'd drive me back to the home and he'd head back to campus.

Over the past I'd been teased by lots of people that I was really only holding out on my true feelings for Emmett, and that I just couldn't bring myself to admit how I felt about him, or that I didn't want to ruin my friendship with him. I definitely loved him but my feelings were strictly platonic; he was my brother and no matter what, I knew that's how I'd always see him. Even when all my friends had found themselves blushing or sighing contently at the sight of him, I just couldn't think of him like that. I knew he was good looking, at 6'4" he towered over most; he had a natural muscular build though he'd worked hard at his body and even I could say he was seriously ripped. That along with deep blue eyes that always seemed to be lit up, the warmest of smiles and dimples to die for; I knew what everyone thought and yet to me it was still only in an appreciative way towards his looks, nothing more.

So, here I was curled up in his bed, once more - as I seemed to be doing more and more the longer he was gone. My new best friend, my box of tissues, sat within reach, with the waste-bin overflowing with the amount of the used things.

I tried to draw in a deep breath to ease the sobs that were wracking my frame, but I was sobbing too much for that to really work. It had been exactly six months today since I'd said goodbye to him. On the way to the airport I was completely silent. I sat with my body facing Emmett hugging my knees, so I could have my eyes on him for as long as possible.

"You know, Ali, I'm not gonna change much while I'm away." He'd joked and had patted my knee before turning his attention back to the road as the stop signal turned back to green. When he pulled up in the parking lot, I didn't move. Neither of us did. We both just sat there in silence, starting up at the building looming in front of us as if it was going to swallow us up. Then twenty minutes later, Emmett huffed and got out, getting his bags from the trunk before he came around to my side. He opened the door and bent down just staring at me.

"Come on." He'd said encouragingly as he held his hand out for me. "I'm not going anywhere yet, I just have to check my bag in." He'd said, the truth of his words showing in his eyes, so I'd taken his hand. He'd tucked me under his arm, carrying his bags with the other with ease and walked us into the building I'd come to fear.

As he'd said, Emmett only checked his bag in and then dragged me over to the café, though I'd made sure he had a huge full fry up this morning. Emmett had announced he needed something sweet and insisted on getting me a hot chocolate and a muffin, though I barely touched either.

"You better not go starving yaself, Ali, I do not want to come home to an anorexic sister, I mean it's not as if you have any meat on you anyway." He'd joked, but I didn't crack a smile as he'd intended.

"Aw, come on Pixie, where's the smile I love the most?" He asked trying to coax me into it, I shrugged and my eyes dropped back to my untouched muffin. I then let out a squeak of surprise as Emmett's fingers came down on me and he tickled me exactly as he knew would get the best reaction. "There it is." He chuckled as I just struggled and squealed until tears were running down my cheeks and my stomach hurt. He gave me one last poke and then nudged my hot chocolate closer to me as he took my muffin and scoffed it himself.

"Schkwd muffing" he'd said with his mouth full and a waterfall of crumbs landed in his lap and on the table making me snort my hot chocolate and get that all over myself and Emmett started to guffaw.

"You know drinking it's good too, Ali." He managed in between his booms of laughter that had the table shaking as he clapped me on the back as I coughed, spluttered and laughed. "God, I'm gonna miss this." He said shaking his head as he brushed the crumbs off of himself and handed me some napkins to clean myself up, but I just shrugged off my cardigan.

My laughter stopped immediately and the tears that had been from laughing so hard, continued to flow but this time with a different reason behind them. Emmett grimaced and edged his chair next to mine and smiled weakly at me.

Then I stiffened as the overhead speaker announced his boarding gate had opened. He stood up pulling me with him.

"Come on let's head over." He said tugging at me as I tried to unsuccessfully root my feet in place. I began to shake a little as the gate came into sight but instead of heading there, he pulled me down on the set of chairs nearest to it.

"I'm not going anywhere until they do last call. He said tucking me into his side and rested his head on top of mine. "I promised I wouldn't leave until I had to, Ali." We sat like that cuddled as close as possible, he started stroking my hair and made soothing shushing noises as my silent tears turned into sobs that made me shake even more. "My Ali-Cat not purring today?" He asked tilting my chin to look at him as he uselessly wiped my eyes. I looked back up at him with puffy eyes and shook my head.

"Not today, Em." I whispered.

"No, Emmy-Bear?"

"Not today." I managed.

"Well...How about just a bear then?" He said as he leant down, keeping a firm hold of me and then pulled something from his bag. I smiled and sobbed at the same time as he handed it to me. It was a bear from the bear factory, he was wearing his own little army uniform along with the boots and hat, and even a little rucksack with a key ring attached to it holding a picture of Emmett and me.

"It's so whenever you feel like you need a bear hug; you have a substitute." He grinned and I gave him a sad one in return.

"Thank you." I whispered.

"Anything for my lil' sis." He nodded and then pulled me back into him as he sat back. "Oh, and whenever you miss having my noisy ass around just give him a squeeze and it'll say the only thing you need to think about." I looked up at him for a moment, but he motioned at the bear, so I squeezed his middle, and then began a new wave of tears at his voice "I love you, Ali –Cat."

"Love you, too, Emmy Bear." I managed to choke out.

We spent the next few minutes whispering sweet nothings to each other and Emmett trying in vain to lighten the situation, waiting like lambs to the slaughter for that dreaded moment. And when it came; as the voice overhead announced last call for his flight, I swear my heart skipped a beat. He gave me a tight squeeze and then got up.

I'd tried to hold onto him, hoping to stop him from being able to walk away. But with a last solemn goodbye with a tear and a kiss to my forehead he'd pried me from him and had walked off with his carry –on bag thrown over his shoulder.

I'd stood there like an ant on the sidewalk as the world carried on around me, just watching his form - dressed in his army uniform - disappear into the crowds as I hugged the bear tightly to my chest, my nose buried in the soft fur holding onto the last bit of him as best I could. Even after I couldn't see him anymore I just stood there, hoping that he'd maybe change his mind at the last minute and come running back to me.

Unfortunately, that never happened.

I stood long after his plane had taken off and that boarding gate had been closed off and was empty of even the airport workers. It was only as a toddler tripped over right in front of me that I was brought out of my haze. I bent over and set her back on her feet, giving her a gentle smile as she showed her little pearly white teeth completely unfazed by her little fall - as most toddlers could be, being so used to falling over all the time. Within seconds a woman came over and smiled me as she took her daughter's little hand, her other holding the base of her stomach, being heavily pregnant.

"Thank you, she's always ending up on the floor these days." She'd said appreciatively as she smiled down at her daughter, who was eyeing the bear hopefully, and although I'd usually feel mean, I kept it firmly with me, not caring how childish or selfish I looked at that moment.

"No problem." I'd replied as I looked back down at the blond toddler, noticing something. "It was probably her shoelace." I said, pointing at her pink Hannah Montana sneakers, having noticed one of them was undone.

"Oh, yes." The mother said, looking down. "Gosh what are we going to do without, Daddy to do things like that, while mommy's pregnant, huh, Emily." She said with a sigh as she went to try and bend down.

"I'll do it," I said and she gave me a very appreciative smile as I bent over and tied the shoelace.

"Thanks, I honestly don't know how I'm going to manage with my husband gone and she hasn't even realized he's not coming back soon." She said solemnly, looking longingly at the same terminal I'd been staring at for the past few hours or so and then at her daughter.

"Oh, was your husband going to fight, too?" I asked and then bit my lip both at the thought of Emmett having to fight and my apparent brain filter being turned off.

"Yes." She answered. "He's been in the army for years, but this is the first time he's gone since we found out I was having Emily." She said motioning to the toddler who was now swinging their arms between them, and looked up at the mention of her name. "And now Sam is due in less than a month." She added patting her stomach, blinking away a tear. I nodded understandingly handing her a tissue from one of the many packs I had with me, as I tried to let my own tears return.

"Well, I'd better be getting home and giving this little one her supper. Thanks again." She said.

"No problem, take care." I said as she walked off with Emily skipping next to her. I sighed deeply, once again my eyes turning to the boarding gate, but though I already missed Em and knew I'd most surely hate the next year or so and miss him with all my heart, I'd realized - probably for the first time - that I wasn't the only one to be going through this. That lady and her daughter had shown me that. No matter how alone I'd feel or how much I'd miss him, whether it was a comforting thought or not, I wouldn't be the only one feeling like that.

And that was the first night that I'd cried myself to sleep, and though I wanted him there with me, I knew no matter how much I longed for it, my Emmy-Bear could not be there to hold me and stroke my hair and lull me off to sleep with his comforting presence.

MC: Thanks for reading... we hoped you likey....

PT: Jas has a little something to say next time round... (probably Friday - though we'll be posting weekly)

MC: Reviews are better than bears from Emmett (even though we all want a real one)

PT: *pouts* I want a bear from Emmett

MC: *giggles* Well leave a review then *pokes out tongue*.... Catch you soon... *waves*

PT: Byeeeeee *skips off*