Healing and Love

Summary: In a universe where Edward and Lydia survived their sickness, they help their daughters heal alongside the royal family while facing times of joy and other emotions in a series of one shots.

One: Grandparenting

Plot: As Nell's first night as a new mother approaches, Lydia sees her exhausted and emotionally drained from hours before, offering some help.

"There you go Nellie. They'll be safe in here," Lydia offered, wrapping up her newborn granddaughters together in their new (and slightly used) baby blanket.

"Thanks Mama," Nell yawned slightly, rubbing her eyes. "I just can't believe it."

"I know," Lydia murmured. "You did an outstanding job. I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of you."

"Elena Lydia and Gabby Anna," Nell smiled. "Do you like the names?"

"I love them," Lydia murmured, since Elena shared her name. "I'm honored you named her after me."

Elena cooed, raising her fisted arms into the air, staring at the mother and daughter before happily cooing at Lydia.

"No no. I'm not your mommy!" Lydia chuckled with a smile, musing Nell's hair.

"Nell can we play with the babies?" Madeline asked as Roland and Edward followed behind them.

"Not right now, sweetheart," Lydia shook her head. "They've only just been born, and they're extremely delicate. You don't want to hurt them, do you?"

"No, but we can at least say hello," Sabrina smiled, stroking Elena's hand with a finger, and smiling as she grabbed onto it.

"Hi, Elena! Hi, Gabby!" Madeline smiled, copying Sabrina's actions with Gabby, and smiling as she got the same result. "They like us!"

"Of course they do," Nell smiled, "They know their aunties when they see them!"

"Just like your sisters did with you when they were born," Edward recalled with a smile, stroking her hair. "How are you doing sweetheart?"

"Tired," Nell groaned softly. "Papa, now I understand why you wouldn't let me be with Mama after Sabrina and Madeline were born."

"It was just for a little while," Edward smiled, "She let you see them the next day. And of course, you dragged Robert two whole blocks so he could see your new sisters too!"

Nell laughed with him, but she said, "You'd be excited too, if you learned you were an older sister to twins!"

"Good point!" Edward grinned, gently mussing her hair.

Elena and Gabby cooed, seeing Bobby Lee take Lamb lamb from their shared crib for the time being before seeing the plush toy in front of them.

"Hey! He's not food!" Bobby Lee pouted, playfully whining at his mother to take his beloved childhood toy back.

"That's right, sweetheart; Lamb-Lamb is a friend, not food!" Florence smiled.

"We'll share Lamb-Lamb, won't we, girls?" Bobby Lee smiled.

Elena let out a little squeal and reached for Lamb-Lamb, while Gabby cooed and stroked his plush.

"Well, look at you with your new friend," Florence smiled. "Lamb-Lamb will keep you safe."

"That's right," Bobby Lee smiled. "I kept Lamb-Lamb with me at night because he's so soft and warm...and because he has a black belt in karate!" He laughed along with everyone and added, "And I know he'll do the same for you two."

"The first night might be easy," Nell muttered with a smile. "They'll just sleep!"

"You think that now but they will cry and will need a change or to be fed," Edward recalled, Lydia nodded her head in agreement.

"Babies cry?" Madeline asked with a frown.

"Yes, but that's only because they can't talk yet," Lydia replied. "At first, you have to guess what they want, but you learn what they need as you go along."

"How long will it take?" Madeline asked.

"Well, it all depends on the baby," Lydia reasoned, "Every baby has different needs at night. Take you and Sabrina for example, Maddie. When Sabrina wanted to sleep, you'd be hungry. When you were hungry, Sabrina would need to be changed."

"You two were identical!" Edward agreed, picking Madeline up and spinning her around. "Why couldn't you do something together?"

"I don't know!" Madeline giggled, "I was a baby at the time!"

"That's your excuse for everything!" Edward grinned, covering her in kisses.

Madeline giggled at the kisses, unaware that one of her nieces had started crying.

"Gabby... Oh sweet girl. It's okay," Lydia assured the crying infant with a smile.

"Is she hungry?" Sabrina asked with a frown.

"Is she sleepy like Mommy?" Bobby Lee asked with a laugh.

"No no. She just wants her mommy," Florence explained as Gabby was placed in Nell's arms.

"Gabby...come here, sweetheart. Mommy's here," Nell whispered. "It's alright...Mommy's here."

Sure enough, Gabby looked around and relaxed in Nell's arms.

"See, Maddie? If Gabby cries for Mommy, Elena's dead to the world," Bobby Lee smiled at Elena, who was sleeping through the whole thing.

Elena started to hiccup a little, starting to whimper softly.

"Did we break her?" Madeline asked with a frown.

"You can't break babies Madeline Elizabeth!" Bianca chuckled with a smile.

"I've got her," Bobby Lee smiled. He walked her around the room, humming softly and patting her back.

As Madeline and Sabrina watched, Elena sighed happily in Bobby Lee's arms and fell asleep again. "That's right, Elena, you're Daddy's little girl, aren't you?" Bobby Lee murmured as he laid her down again.

"Come on girls. It's time to say bye bye to your nieces," Edward said, carefully stroking Elena and Gabby's hair.

"Why?" Sabrina and Madeline asked together with pouting lips.

"Not forever, you two, it's just so they can take a nap," Edward assured them.

"You should also let Nellie rest too," Lydia agreed. "Having twins takes a lot out of you."

"Tell me about it," Roland agreed, "When James and Amber were born, my first wife stayed in bed for a long time. But it was all right." he added, seeing Madeline and Sabrina's worried looks. "She got stronger every day, and after a while she felt much better."

"You said they sang every day," Sabrina agreed, "Can we do that with Nell too?"

"I think she'd love that," Lydia smiled as Nell, Elena, and Gabby all fell asleep.

…

"Nellie is so exhausted. I can't wake her up."

Elena and Gabby's cries had erupted during the night as Lydia ran a hand through her hair.

She hadn't had much experience with baby twins ever since Sabrina and Madeline were born, being careful not to wake up her sleeping teenage daughter.

"Lydia, would you like some help?" Bianca asked. "Pardon me for saying so, but caring for twins is a two-person job."

"I'd love that," Lydia smiled. "Which one would you like?"

"We'll be comforting both of them either way, but for now, I'll take Gabby Anna, and you can take Elena Lydia," Bianca smiled as she took Gabby and started rocking her.

Elena whimpered in Lydia's arms, sucking one of her fingers.

"Are you hungry?" Lydia asked with a smile.

Elena cooed softly, spotting Gabby who cooed back, looking around for a midnight feeding.

"Well, Edward, you wanted them to do something identical," Bianca chuckled, "They're hungry at the same time! Is that good enough for you?"

"You know I'm just teasing you, right, my sweet girls?" Edward asked as Nell started nursing Elena and Gabby. "I know you'll grow up to be sweet, independent young ladies with your own individual personalities."

"I've known that since the moment I first saw them," Nell smiled.

"So have I. Three times!" Lydia chuckled, stroking Nell's hair.

Minutes later Nell had fallen back to sleep again, emotionally drained as Elena and Gabby looked at Lydia and Edward.

"Shall we put them to bed too?" Lydia asked.

"I think that's a good idea," Edward agreed.

"And the perfect lullaby for them," Lydia added as she sang softly, "A la nanita nana nanita ella nanita ella

Mi niña tiene sueno bendito sea, bendito sea..."

As she sang, Elena and Gabby fell asleep, and Edward smiled. "Helenita's old lullaby works every time!"

"We'll tell her when she wakes up," Lydia agreed. "I don't know if she remembers it, but we'll have to find the music and have James play it."

"Well we're parents and grandparents now!" Edward laughed softly, putting Lamb Lamb between the girls.

"You should've seen Nellie today Edward," Lydia muttered, kissing Elena and Gabby's foreheads.

"Oh?" Edward asked in surprise. "What happened while she was in labor?"

"She started screaming, which we knew was normal," Lydia started, "And she was cursing Jimmy and his family out. I should tell you that I'm glad Madeline and Sabrina weren't there to hear what she was saying...you wouldn't happen to know where she heard such language, would you, Edward?"

"Probably from Jimmy and his family, because I know I'd never dream of saying such things!" Edward smiled innocently. When he saw Lydia's suspicious look, he muttered, "I might have said something obscene once, but that was only because I was seeking revenge on the goose that pecked her as a child! How was I to know she'd remember that word after all those years? And I might have said it again when Robert, the guards, and I went in and rescued her, Madeline, and Sabrina."

"Oh, yes, as long as you had a good reason, it's perfectly acceptable," Lydia smirked.

"Helen, what is it?" Edward asked, hearing Nell softly whimper in her sleep.

"Papa?" Nell asked with sleepless eyes before tears went down her cheeks. "Oh Mama! Oh Papa!"

"Nellie, what happened?" Lydia asked, wiping her tears away.

"Jimmy had me again!" Nell cried. "He took only me and took me far away! I couldn't escape him no matter what! He even let Beth and Robby attack me!"

"The sooner that bastard and his worthless family are executed and out of our lives, the better," Edward growled, pulling Nell into a tight hug.

"I couldn't agree more, Edward," Lydia murmured. She took Nell in her arms just like she used to when she was little. "Nellie, my sweet girl...it's alright...you're safe now, and they'll never come near you again..." Then just like she had for Elena and Gabby, Lydia rocked Nell as she sang softly, "A la nanita nana nanita ella nanita ella...Mi niña tiene sueno bendito sea, bendito sea..."

"You remembered it..." Nell murmured, recalling one of her favorite childhood songs. "We need the music so James can learn it."

"We were thinking the same thing, sweetheart," Edward smiled.

"We've helped you tonight with your daughters," Lydia smiled, kissing Nell's cheek. "Will you be alright?"

"No! I mean no," Nell muttered softly, glancing at her parents and back to her children. "Could you sleep with me tonight? Just like old times before Sabrina and Madeline?"

"I don't see why not," Lydia smiled.

"Of course," Edward agreed.

"It's silly to ask that isn't it?" Nell asked softly, looking at Elena and Gabby. "I just became a mommy today and now I'm acting childish."

"Don't worry about a thing, Nellie," Lydia murmured. "Of course we'll both stay with you."

"You don't have to be embarrassed, Helenita," Edward agreed. "We'll stay right by your side all night."

"Promise?" Nell asked with a smile.

Edward and Lydia glanced down at her, picturing in their minds a four year old little girl from their last time sleeping together as a family, not a young woman.

But they couldn't keep Nell little forever much to the aching in their hearts, hugging her close.

"For tonight, we'll stay with you," Lydia agreed. "We promise you, sweetheart, everything will get better."

"If you ever have a problem, you know we'll be here for you," Edward added.

"If you need to talk to us about anything at all, whether it's questions on how to raise your girls, or you need a shoulder to cry on, you know we're both going to be right beside you," Lydia added.

Nell smiled as she fell asleep, listening to her parents' soothing voices and promises.