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Bye.

Pulling Heaven Down – Befriending

Edward

"You gonna eat that?" Emmett pointed to the half-eaten bagel on my plate and I shrugged.

"You can have it."

He grabbed the rest of it and shoved the whole piece in his mouth. I grimaced as I watched him chew exaggeratedly with his big ugly mouth open.

"You're disgusting."

"I know," he laughed, spraying bagel crumbs over the front of his shirt.

I shook my head. "So, how's my nephew?"

"He's great. He walks everywhere and when he sees your picture he says 'that bum'." Emmett grinned.

"Bum? I'm working my ass off, man. How am I a bum?"

"I don't know, Rose taught him. And she says she misses your ugly mug, too."

"Sorry," I sighed and sipped my coffee. It was my first day off in nine days, and I'd finally managed to answer my brother's phone calls.

"It's cool. We get it. Just don't forget about the little people, you know? The ones who were there from the beginning, who supported you, who let you live in their guest room and-"

"Emmett!" I laughed.

"Just don't leave us hanging. I know you're busy with work and Bella and the kid, but we miss you."

"I know. And I only see Bella and Willow once a week."

Emmett frowned. "I thought you two were getting all hot and heavy?"

"Really? 'Hot and heavy'? Who are you, Perez Hilton?"

"I'm just saying…"

"Bella and I are friends. That's all," I said firmly to my coffee cup; Emmett grunted and folded his arms over his chest, a wordless "my bad". "So, I ran into Leah Clearwater last week."

"You mean Uley?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess." I shrugged. "I don't think Sam's in the picture anymore."

"Really? Why do you say that?"

"Because when she brought her kid into the ER she told me Sam wasn't in the picture anymore." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well, there you go."

"He's a cool baby," I told him, smiling at the memory of Harry sticking his little fingers in my mouth and smiling up at me.

"You know who else is a cool baby? Your nephew."

"You're cute when you're jealous," I teased and he flipped me off.

Talking about Leah and Harry filled me with a strange aching in my chest. I hadn't seen Leah since the day she showed up at the hospital with coffee. I didn't have her number and it felt weird asking Bella for another girl's number. Not that Bella was my girlfriend or anything, but it still felt weird. I really wanted to see Leah again.

"I'll come over Monday night, how's that?" I asked as we cleaned up our table and exited the coffee shop.

"Satisfactory for the time being. I'll let the wife know." Emmett nodded and clapped me on the shoulder before heading down the street and back to his car. I headed in the opposite direction, on my way home for some peace and quiet before a thought crossed my mind. Quickly, I went back to the coffee shop and ordered a vanilla latte, the same kind that Leah had brought me, and left in the direction opposite of my building…to Leah's.

It didn't take me long, my tired legs working faster than I thought they could at the time, and before I knew it I was knocking on Leah's door.

"Edward!" she cried as she answered the door with Harry on her hip. "What are you doing here?" I tried not to smile as she pushed her messy hair away from her face and Harry grabbed a handful of it. "Ow, Mommy said stop."

"Um…well, I was just in the neighborhood and-"

"-and you thought you'd keep up your Friendly Neighborhood Stalker image?" Leah grinned and I rolled my eyes.

"Yes. And I brought you coffee." I held out the cup, which she gratefully took and gestured me inside. She set Harry on the ground and he took off crawling down the little hallway.

"You're really a godsend, you know?"

"So I've been told," I joked.

"Don't get cocky, Cullen." She glared at me and I held up my hands in defeat.

"Wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart."

"Come. Sit. Tell me about your life." Leah fell onto the couch and I followed. Harry pulled himself up and stood on shaky legs between our feet. I grinned and pulled him into my lap, eager to see his little smile.

He didn't disappoint.

"Not much to tell. First day off in nine days. Had breakfast with my brother. Thought about you."

"Not in the shower, I hope," Leah laughed and wrinkled her nose. I felt my cheeks burn.

"As if I'd ever tell you that."

"Gross, Edward."

"You started it," I teased.

"And I'm finishing it. So, what are you doing here?" She smiled and held out her hand to her son. He slapped it playfully and bounced on my lap.

"I told you. I was thinking about you. And this guy. You busy today?"

"Does it look like we're busy?" she looked down at her baggy t-shirt and gestured to Harry, who was in only a diaper.

"Do you want to be busy?" I asked quietly, really hoping she'd say yes.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well, maybe you should get dressed first…" I trailed off and she hit me with a throw pillow. "I'm just trying to help you out!"

"C'mon, buddy." Leah lifted Harry from my lap and started down the hall. "Edward doesn't think we're good enough in our 'weekend casual' wear, can you believe it?" I heard her say before the bedroom door closed. A few minutes later she emerged with brushed hair and glossed lips, wearing shorts that accentuated her long legs and a tight tank top that clung to her frame.

All I could focus on was the unholy thoughts running through my head about how incredibly beautiful she was.

"What exactly were you thinking? I just want to be prepared for the little guy." She set Harry in the middle of the floor with some toys and headed into the kitchen.

"Um, I was actually thinking the zoo, if that's okay with you?"

Leah smiled. "Perfect. We haven't been yet."

I returned her smile, but more at the way she said 'we' instead of anything else. It was so obvious how much she loved her son, and I could tell she would do anything for him.

I played with Harry on the floor while Leah packed a bag full of diapers and snacks and then we headed out. She pulled a monstrosity of a stroller out of the hall closet, but I insisted on carrying Harry. I really did like him- Alice would be proud.

"He's got to be heavy, you sure you don't want to set him down?" Leah asked for about the fifth time since we'd left her apartment. I shifted Harry, who'd fallen asleep as soon as we hit the curb, and turned to look at her.

"Nah. He's not too bad." I smiled, though my arm was starting to ache a little bit. I switched him to the other side, just as we came upon the entrance of the zoo. Before I could reach for my wallet, Leah was in line purchasing our tickets. I frowned. I wanted to take them to the zoo. She smiled smugly as she finally took Harry from my arms and settled him in the stroller as he slowly began to wake up. Once he was fully alert everything excited him. It was fascinating to watch. I only wish I saw things through his eyes.

At one point I held him up against the glass of the penguin habitat and he banged his little fists against the wall as the birds swam by. He turned with each one, until I was sure he was going to give himself whiplash. Leah stood by quietly, but I was very aware of her eyes on us. I knew it had to be hard for her- some strange guy showing up out of the blue and taking her kid to the zoo, but I couldn't really help it. I'd told her already: I couldn't stop thinking about her.

It was strange that I'd known her for so long, but had never really felt drawn to her until the night she showed up at the hospital.

Alice would say it was fate or the stars colliding. Emmett would tell me it was a coincidence. Bella would make sure I knew Harborview was the closest hospital to Leah's house, and that's why she chose it.

I didn't really care why it was, I was just happy she ended up in my ER. Okay, not happy that Harry ended up in the ER, but happy to see Leah again, regardless.

We spent the majority of the day at the zoo, until afternoon clouds started to roll in and Harry started to get cranky. The walk back to Leah's apartment was slow but peaceful. She pushed Harry in his stroller and I walked beside her with my hands shoved in my pockets, willing myself not to touch her.

At her apartment building I folded up the stroller and carried it up the stairs. Inside, Leah put Harry down for a nap and returned to where I was waiting in the living room.

"Today was…a lot of fun." She smiled and reached out to take my hand. I took a deep breath as her fingers slipped into my palm and my own wrapped around them.

"Yeah, it was." I squeezed her fingers and then quickly let go of her hand.

"You want to stay? I can cook or we can order something…?

"No, I should go," I said quietly and watched as disappointment flitted briefly across her face. "But can I take you out? Tomorrow?"

Leah frowned. "I don't know if I can get a babysitter."

"So? Harry can come too." I shrugged and Leah's eyes widened.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course." I grinned and took her hand again. "So, I'll call you tomorrow?"

"Definitely," Leah said as she led me to the door.

"Okay." I stepped out into the hallway and turned back to her once more.

"Edward? You're forgetting something."

"I am?"

"Yeah." She smirked.

"What's that?"

"My phone number."