Edward watches as Leah picks up the small child.
She holds him expertly against her chest, his small body still positioned as if he were inside a womb.
He is small. Smaller than Edward remembers a new born to be. Weighing in at six pounds is expected, but he's a little fighter and he knows his nephew will be a monster of a kid in no time.
With her hand on the child's back, his heart strings tighten as his wife whispers words of love and gently coddles the brand new being.
He wonders what their future children will be like. Will their hair be like their mothers, dark and silky, or like his, an untameable sunburnt brown. Will they have her eyes, her soft shaped brows and her high arched feet? Will they enjoy Christmas as much as her, or litter the house in decorations for the Fourth of July like he and his sibling had?
He contemplates still as she moves toward him, resting between his legs on the single recliner. She makes sure she is secure in her seating before she moves the child from her shoulder to her elbow, nuzzling him against her body.
Edward kisses her head as he peeks over and peels the baby blue wrap backwards to inspect his nephew. Closed eyes, pink cheeks and a pouting mouth are all he can see. The child grumbles but quickly settles as his wife pats the baby's backside. His tiny fingers clutch the blanket like a joey in the pouch of its Kangaroo mother.
"He's perfect," Leah whispers to her sister-in-law, who merely watches on with a smile and tired eyes.
Alice's labour had been quick but her small body had not taken well to the pain. Having been moved to the operating table for an emergency c-section at the last minute terrified both new parents. She hadn't even been able to hold her son until two days after his birth. Jasper had insisted he watch over both his fiancee and new born the entire time.
When they'd arrived to meet the newest addition Edward embraced his brother-in-law to be, congratulating him, before allowing him to leave to shower and collect clothes from home.
"Isn't he?" Leah reiterates as she looks back at her husband who is still perched over her shoulder, his warm arm wrapped around both her and the child.
"He is," Edward chuckles, allowing the newborn to grasp his finger. He's stronger than Edward expects.
"He likes you," Alice comments as she watches Leah run her index finger over his puffy cheek.
"I like him, too," Leah chuckles as she turns her head to kiss her husband and then the child's forehead. He smells so fresh and pretty, so she inhales the scent of his hair and sighs happily.
So with ten little fingers and ten perfect toes his sister names him Timothy Aiden Hale.
As they leave the hospital he can't help but notice the change in his wife. She looks blissful, unaware as he watches her intently. He doesn't want to jump the gun so he allows her to soak in the happiness of the new addition to the family. He knows her mind is working over time.
"I want one," she blurts in the middle of dinner, causing him to choke on his green beans. He wipes his mouth with a napkin, takes a sip of his beer and arches an eyebrow at her.
She blushes, her eyes trained on her plate as she pushes around her food. He can see her embarrassment and plays it out.
"One what, exactly?"
Taking another sip of his beer he grins at the glowering look she sends him.
"You know damn well, Edward Anthony Cullen!"
He chuckles at her frustrated tone, knowing she knows, he knows, exactly what she's taking about. The use of his full name from her lips has him semi-erect and he adjusts his shorts.
She slumps in her chair in defeat, her food long forgotten. Her mouth opens and shuts several times before she speaks.
"I know it'll be tough. Especially when you're deployed again. But I want one." Her voice is small, unsure if he shares in the desire for a family so soon.
The original plan had been to wait until his last call of duty, but holding Timothy in her arms has made her re-evaluate. Edward still had three years left of service before he could retire with indefinite benefits and it now felt like a life time away.
"I want a baby. A baby of our own."
She finally looks at him, her grey eyes watery with unshed tears.
He rubs a hand over his face. There's no doubt he wants to start a family but with his deployment coming up within the next few months, he's not sure if it is the best idea.
He doesn't want to miss out on a single moment of his potential child's life, but being an emergency surgeon in the military could mean a call out at any time. With tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan under his belt, he knows his experience in war zones is desired by his superiors, making him the ideal candidate.
He stands and makes his way around the table and crouches. He slips his hand over hers and squeezes. "Leah," he huffs, his eyes trained on their entwined hands. "When I married you, I promised you that I would do everything a husband could do for his wife. I promised to make and keep you happy."
Leah responds by clutching at his hand. "And I promised you I'd be patient."
He smirks at her statement and rises, pulling her from the chair and into his arms. His fingers splay on her face and he kisses her nose. "Now we both know, patience is not your virtue."
She shoves against his stomach and smiles up at him. "You're a jerk."
He laughs loudly and his eyes sparkle, as his hands sit on her slim waist. "I know. Come on," he urges, pulling her toward the stairs. "Let's go make you happy."
...