A/N: This took me forever simply because I got distracted with painting and rereading Blind (which has to be one of my fav FF stories ever). So sorry. I also realize this is really short and actually was going to be longer, but I decided to just give you a little background to Edward and Elise. Their story will come out more as the entire story progresses. Thanks to those that have read and actually reviewed this already. I really appreciate it.
Disclaimer: I still own nothing except my computer and the PB&J sandwich I had for lunch.
Edward
"You're late."
"I know, I know. My apologies Rose," I said, rushed and throwing my briefcase on the couch while pulling at my hair in frustration with my free hand. It wasn't until now I realized I really needed a haircut.
Rose stood in the doorframe of the kitchen, relaxed in her sweatshirt and leggings and still as beautiful as ever. We met our freshman year of high school when my family moved to the states from London—the time of awkward changes and the baser need for someone who simply understood without judgment. I was the silent music geek and she was the ugly duckling that hadn't found her inner swan just yet. We became one force to simply make it through the days of popularity contests and mind-numbing clichés. We fought. We laughed. We bloomed out of awkwardness to popularity. Always together. Over time, I fell in love with our friendship and she fell in love with my brother. Here we are, almost sixteen years later—best friends and siblings-in-law.
"You look like hell Edward," her voice playful and warm.
"Thanks for the ego-boost babe," I snipped back with a smile, kissing Rose's cheek as I slide past her into the kitchen. Food sounded fantastic and I had to wonder when the last time I actually made time to eat today. The fact that I couldn't remember was not a promising sign. "How'd she do today?" My question was mumbled and slurred as I shoved last night's cold pizza in my mouth in a rather ravenous manner. But damn did it taste good.
"Great." A proud, beaming smile crossed her lips. "She's so graceful and lost in the movements. It's so crazy to watch her at such a young age. You may just have a prima ballerina on your hands there."
Nodding my heading, I internally groaned. If you asked me five years ago where I thought my life would be at now, I'd probably have said I'd be passing the years in a smoky piano bar, tinkering away at the keys for the martini floozies hiding from the day. Instead, I was stuck in a revolving mess of tutus, crinoline and sequins. Not that I'm complaining…much. "Where are the kids at anyways?"
"I think Ty kidnapped Elise into the backyard after being forced to sit through an hour of dance lessons. Em dropped them both at the studio on his way out to Mom's and Ty had his fill of 'girly' for the day. Or lifetime if you'd ask him. I did get them both to eat dinner though."
I nodded, understanding full well what being subject to wrath of girly-ness felt like to a young boy. Back in London, Em and I were always too young and scrawny to fight against our cousins, earning dance lessons and shopping trips from Tanya and Irina. Let me just say that I loathed it and almost swore off a life of girls back then because I didn't want to deal with the drama and the pink and all the fuss. Oh how life has changed.
Poor Ty.
"You know, I thought teachers were supposed to have the summers off. So why the hell do you work all the time?" Her words pulled me from the bittersweet memories. Rose was never one for the subtle delivery.
"Well, for one, I like to pay for this house on my own, not mooching off Mum and Dad's bank account," I said pointedly, clearing away the empty plate.
"Oh please, you have enough money stored away on your own to retire nicely tomorrow. So don't give me the 'make it on my own' bullshit speech again. I don't think I could handle it. Em plays that card enough when he's on his macho power trips of taking care of his woman. Egotistical bast…"
"I was getting to my second point Rosie dearest," I said, cutting her off and dodging a manicured backhand, "if you'd ever let me finish. For two, I can't just sit around on my arse all day. I'd lose my bloody mind."
"But what's the difference between playing the perfectly nice baby grand in the family room and the piano at the school? Have a secret fetish for the uprights there Eddie?" she said waggling her eyebrows in a crass way.
Was she serious? If I didn't love her so much, I'd wonder where my supposed sanity ran off to in keeping her around so long. "How long have we known each other?"
"Uh, fifteen-sixteen years?" she answered more as a question.
"And in that time, has it ever been okay to call me Eddie, sweet Rosie?"
Her eyes glared back, icy and piercing. "Eddie. Rosie. Lets move on with life shall we?" Rose said through gritted teeth.
"We shall. Let it be noted that I have no fetish for uprights or however eloquently you put that. It's the simple separation of home and work. You know, home should be the escape from the day, not the bloody continuation of it."
"Fine, fine. Whatever you say Edward." Her voice dripped sickly sweet with the added emphasis to my name. I could barely tamp down the chuckle bubbling up at her frustration with me. We never quite grew up.
I'd be the first to admit that Rose is annoying as hell, but I loved her to death. This strange, sarcastic, crass and unearthly beautiful woman. "Anyways, I should go find my son before he gets himself undoubtedly into trouble. You know how it goes—you grew up with Em. Like father like son." An audible sigh followed her words as she blew the strand of hair from in front of her eyes. "I really don't want to be paying your repair bills for his curiosity again."
This time I did allow myself to laugh a full belly-roll. I clamped my hand to my side trying to keep my organs in place with the laughing force, looking up at Rose. Her face was contorted in the most comical fashion just to suppress her laugh that sent me farther over the edge of hilarity. "Damn Rose, I can still remember your face when we heard the high-pitched crunch of breaking glass and splintering wood. The slack jaw and wide, frantic eyes were priceless. I almost imagined you starting to speak in random tongues like you were possessed." I was choking on my laughs at this point, barely breathing with tears running rivers down my face. "You ran from the room faster than I've ever seen you move—quicker than even all those times trying to evade the disease-infested grasp of Mike Newton junior year. And that was pretty bloody fast."
"Well what did you expect? The sound of glass breaking is not something I enjoy hearing when my son is running around someone else's house. We all knew it wasn't your angel that was bringing about the start of WWIII."
"In my defense, I told you that you didn't have to pay for it. After the initial shock wore off and there wasn't blood covering my living room and both kids had all their limbs still attached, the whole mess was rather amusing."
"You know me well enough to know I wouldn't saddle you with the replacement cost because something my son did. That kid is like a damn bull in a china shop—can't leave him alone near glass, wood, plastic or metal." I heard her mumble something about needing a leash or a fucking bubble before she finished, "I just wanted to do the right thing."
"No, Rose. You are just too damn proud to see that Ty is a kid—Emmett's kid to clarify further—and shit happens. It really was only an entertainment center. The TV wasn't even scratched."
Rose growled. Like flat-out growled through her teeth that sent me further into hysterics. She stalked closer to my doubled-over body leaning against the counter with an icy blue glare that would make most men piss themselves. "I. AM. NOT. PROUD." She punctuated each loud word with a sharp poke at my shoulder. That shit hurt. My hands rose in surrender, my lungs fighting to resume normal function while wheezing out a 'You win. You win.'
"That's what I thought," Rose said all sing-songy and looking like the last five minutes of stomach ache inducing laughter didn't happen. "But I really should go wrangle up Ty. He's been quite for way too long." I had straightened my body out by now, nodding simply because I wasn't sure I had the lungpower to talk just yet. Rose leaned over, kissing my cheek quickly before turning on her heel into the hallway. She stopped in the archway, looking back at me. "Do you want me to tell Elise to come inside?"
"No," I shook my head, my voice hoarse and my throat raw. "She'll be fine in the backyard."
Nodding with a smile, she said, "Don't forget dinner on Sunday. It's Mom and Dad's anniversary and all," before turning again and disappearing out of view. I greedily filled a water glass, downing it in three long gulps. At first my throat protested, but eased into a blissful numb that the second gulp provided. After another glass or two, I figured I should go find my daughter. I had been gone all day of lessons and conferences and the eight short hours felt like a bloody eternity.
Walking back over to the front door, I kicked off my shoes and grabbed by briefcase. My feet padded through the soft carpet as I detoured to my office to ditch the briefcase and then onto my bedroom to rid myself of the constricting socks and button down. The nice thing about teaching music, especially over the summer, was that I didn't have to necessarily dress up. As Rose would put it, I had to be casual chic and I could totally handle that, whatever that really, truly meant. I was left in my jeans and white t-shirt that clung to my chest, wandering barefoot down the hall to the back door.
And there she was.
Elise's back was to me, her small feet brushing the grass with each gentle pump of her legs. The swing went back and forth in a graceful curve, her head dipped back letting her long auburn hair fly away behind her. She seemed so carefree and full of life and light and hope. It's times like this that I pray she will never lose this moment. Hell, I pray I'll never lose sight of this moment.
I stood there for minutes just watching her swing, illuminated by the warm July sun that was only now starting to slowly set. She truly was an angel—my angel—even if her horns held up her halo occasionally. Finally I tore myself from my spot, letting the grass flatten under my bare feet until I was just behind her. My hands reached out as her body swung back, pushing her gently forward. Elise's musical laugh rang out, making a goofy grin plaster itself to my face simply because it could. "Higher Daddy! Higher!"
My hands pushed her forward, harder and yet still gently. Her laughter became the music of the night, weaving with the soft sounds of the birds and wind in the trees. My mind was already composing a melody to save this sound, this moment. We stayed with Elise swinging and I pushing for a long time, going higher and faster and letting her touch the sky. But all good things must end and our daylight was fading fast.
On her backswing, I grabbed Elise's moving body in a bear hug, effectively stopping her movement. Her laugh squealed out again at the sudden stop, my own joining the sounds. I nuzzled my face in her hair, planting a kiss atop her head to say all the love and hopes and dreams I have for my daughter that I couldn't find the right words for. "I love you baby." My voice was nothing more than a whisper, but her sweet voice mimicked my 'I love you' right back. "Why don't we head inside? You go put on your jammies and I'll put in the movie, okay?" I asked, helping her off the swing until her bare feet nestled into the grass. "The usual?" Elise's head bobbed all over in excitement with a toothy grin as she bolted her little body inside. I followed in a much slower fashion, savoring the night air, the soft grass and the simple, magical music of a child.
I sat down in the TV room, sinking into the corner of the sofa just as Elise bounded around the corner, already dressed in her pajamas like I asked. With a smile so striking and happy that I couldn't help but smile too, she ran over and curled herself into my awaiting lap.
And so our tradition remains—just the two of us, a Friday night and Beauty and the Beast.
Elise nestled her head against my chest and I wrapped my arms tighter around her little body, never wishing to let go of my daughter. She was my life. She was my world. She really was my everything. "So how was your lesson today?" I asked, planting a soft kiss to her forehead.
The racing energy of her body hummed against my own as her excitement bubbled over so much so that she was nearly vibrating in my lap. "It was amazing Daddy! Auntie Rose picked out the prettiest music for our recital. And guess what?!" I shrugged my shoulders with a smile, wanting her to simply tell me. "She even gave me a part all my own! I got a sole all my own!"
"You mean a solo?" She nodded her head vigorously, tousling her hair about her face. I managed to choke back a full-out belly laugh at her excitement, effectively snorting slightly. She was just too bloody cute. "That's great baby! I'm so proud of you." With another huge, goofy smile, Elise curled herself back into my lap and turned her attention to the movie starting.
My daughter got lost in the magical scenes of Belle and the Beast, humming softly through the songs. She knew the movie by heart, beginning to end, with all the little quotes and soft glances in between. I'd often catch her waltzing around her room with her little arms uplifted as if draped around the Beast, softly singing the music to herself. Sometimes I'd intrude into her world and spin her around the room in slow circles, singing the lyrics with her and drinking in the melody of her laugh. More often though, I'd simply watch.
These were some of the times I loved her the most. The secret moments where she was a carefree child living an enchanted dream and I could live it through her eyes and her touch. The moments where she just was. Simply enough.
The gentle rush of her evened breath brought my thoughts back and I ran my fingers through her silky hair, letting it fall like water from my grasp. Her bright eyes were closed in sleep, a small smile playing on her lips. Elise was beautiful and enchanting and so much more than I could have ever hoped for. She was mine and I was hers. That's how it had been for so long.
My fingers kept running through her hair in gentle strokes as she slept in my lap. I could do this forever and never tire, just holding my baby. It may be clichéd to say this, but she owned me. My life revolved around her in a chaotic, beautiful mess.
The movie kept playing and soon the lyrics fell from my lips quietly as I sang along with Elise's favorite part.
Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Than somebody bends…unexpectedly
Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared…Beauty and the Beast
My mind was flooded with images of an empty ballroom and a faceless beauty. This wasn't uncommon for me. Most of my life was spent lost in my own head of lofty thoughts and music notes. Despite having my daughter rule my life, I'd be remiss to not admit that I find the days lonely and the nights lonelier in ways Elise and my family can't fill. The mysterious apparition haunted me in the most perfect way, always there in the dusty recesses of my mind swaying and gliding to the song. But as soon as she twirled in, she wisped away to be replaced by a vision of my daughter dancing perched lightly on my shoes.
Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong
We twirled and swayed and glided in our own bubble of comfort. I reached my hand out, stretching my fingers to run through her hair. Looking down, my daughter was still sound asleep in my lap and reality returned as my constant friend.
Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme…Beauty and the Beast
I let my voice fade out with the song, barely recognizing the change of dynamic in the movie. Belle and the Beast and all the words they cannot say. "I love you baby girl," I whispered out and kissed Elise's hair, careful not to break her sweet sleep.
I really never thought my life would be like this, holding my daughter…my daughter…as she slept silently in my arms, save for the hush of her breath. I never thought I'd be an almost thirty-one year old music teacher and a father of a five-year-old ball of pink and crinoline. Bloody hell, back then I wasn't even sure I wanted kids of my own. They were nice and all, but I got my fill from Rose and Em's screaming newborn. I wanted to live my life without ties, drinking in the days and fucking away the nights.
Now my days were focused on more kids than I could count and my nights were run by a sweet, little princess that wished for the world. Life was good. Well, more than good. It was bloody amazing. For as much as I'd find to complain about and wish that things were different, all I had to do was look at the small body and auburn hair resting in my lap and now that life was okay. It wasn't easy, but it was an amazing ride.
And I'd do it all over again. Every hurt. Every loss. Every bloody mistake. I'd forgo all my wants and needs and unearthly desires. I'd take it all just to count her every smile and breath of air. I'd be Atlas bearing the world on my shoulders just to hear her soft voice always say 'I love you Daddy'.
