I know we all want our favourite couple to get down and dirty but this is going to be one of those slooow burn stories, however, we slowly start getting the ball rolling in this one!

Thank you all so much again! You guys are amazing and I flove ya.

I don't. Stephenie does.

Chapter nine

Cooper.

Today is Saturday.

I like Saturdays 'cause I don't have to go to school, I can play with Flash all day long and Dad and I have Lazy Saturdays on Saturdays – that is where we lie in Dad's bed all morning, talking about fun stuff, have pancakes with lots-a-lots-a maple syrup (in the bed!), talk about animals and sometimes watch a movie.

But I don't like Saturday today.

'Cause y'know how my Dad works with lots-a-lots-a animals? Yeah, well he has to go somewhere and work with animals and I want to go too, but I nots allowed, 'cause I'm too young. But that isn't true! I'm in the oldest reading group in my class at school, I'm really really tall and I'll be eight in… (December…January…Mar-no-February…March…) four months! See, I am old enough! And I know all about animals, but Dad said no… He also said he was going with someone he doesn't like and I asked why he doesn't like them and he said 'cause she does stuff he doesn't like so I said to punch her in the pee-pee!

'Cause, y'know, she doesn't have nuts.

Instead of going to be with the really cool and awesome animals with my Dad, I have to stay with my Auntie Alice. I like my Auntie Alice (she's cool and makes tasty cupcakes) but I wants to stay with my Dad. I think my Uncle Jasper will be there too, but he doesn't have Lazy Saturdays, he teaches kids how to play guitars. I want to learn how to play the guitar then I can be a rock star! When I'm older I either want to be a rock star or work in a zoo. 'Cause if I work in a zoo I can be with the animals all day long, and my Dad could work with me and then I won'ts have to be alone when he goes to work. I could be the owner of the zoo and if people I don't like do things I don't like they can get a punch in the nuts (or pee-pee) and then they have to clean out the poop from all the animals!

Y'know what else is annoying? I can't take Flash to Auntie Alice's house 'cause she doesn't like doggies, so I have to leave him behind. Which isn't fair 'cause she only doesn't like big doggies, and Flash isn't a big dog, he's still a puppy and he's smaller than me! But Dad is being a butthead and said we have to leave him at home.

Today is going to be so rubbish.

0-0

I want to go home now… Uncle Jasper isn't here 'cause he's teaching kiddies how to play the guitar and when he gets home he can't play Rock Band with me 'cause he was school work to do. My Uncle Jasper is a teacher at the high school, he teaches History and when I leave my school and start high school he might be my teacher! I won't be able to call him Uncle Jasper though; I would need to call him Mr. Whitlock which is weird! So, yeah, Uncle Jasper isn't here and I have to go and get flowers with Auntie Alice soon. But at the moment it is fun 'cause we're making cakes! Auntie Alice let me lick the bowl and the spoon! I never make cupcakes with Dad 'cause he always burns them and they don't taste nice, but Auntie Alice makes amazing ones!

"I'm putting Skittles on mine and lots-a-lots-a icing!"

Auntie Alice was putting flowers on hers but I'm a boy and boys don't put flowers on their cupcakes. "Wow, Coop; that looks really colourful. Are you going to give one to your Dad?"

"Um…yeah, I'll give him one and I'll have the other three for me!" I giggle. "Dad has green eyes and these Skittles are green so I'll make one that looks like him. But, Auntie Alice, how can I do the glasses?"

"Oh, that's quite simple." Auntie Alice took the black icing pen and drew little squares around the Skittles, then joined the squares together and put lines off to the side of the cake. I giggle again, 'cause it looks just like my Dad! "And look, you can use that to make a nice smile." Auntie Alice cut off a bit from the strawberry lace and made it into a smile.

"No, you have to have it longer at one side, 'cause Dad smiles oddly."

Auntie Alice laughs at my joke, but it wasn't a joke – that is how my Dad smiles. "You mean when he grins? That's very well observed, Coop." I made more cupcakes – I even iced 'Cooper' on one of them, but I couldn't fit all the letters in together, so the 'e' and 'r' are under the 'Coop'. But I did really well 'cause Auntie Alice said I did.

"Hey, Coop, do you know if Dad and Bella have seen each other again recently?"

"Well Dad saw her on Sunday after swimming lessons class, but do you know what Bella said?" Auntie Alice looked excited, but I don't know why.

"What did she say?"

"Bella said that she wants to see Dad's wiener when she becomes his girlfriend!"

When Auntie Alice is excited she bounces on her tip-toes and claps, "really? You know what we should do? We should help them become a couple!"

"Yeah! But how do make them a couple, Auntie Alice?"

"Well…we set them up on dinner dates and make sure they are in the same place at the same time – things like that. Do you think you could help dad see how wonderful Bella is? I know they would be a great couple."

"Yes. I know my Dad really likes her 'cause he gets stiff woods and I wants her to be my step mommy, so I think we should work as a team like The Avengers and get them as boyfriend and girlfriend…"

Auntie Alice made me slap her hand in a 'high five'. "Let's do this!"

0-0

"What about these ones, Auntie Alice?" I thought buying flowers would be super super boring, but it was fun! I liked all the pretty colours. I liked the big blue ones with white bits.

"They are beautiful, Coop, but I'm looking for yellow and pink ones to match the colour scheme. Can you find some?"

We played a game to see who could get more flowers the quickest – I won! But I knew I would win 'cause I'm the best at racing games like that. One time my Dad asked me if I could get in my jammies before him and I won that too! See, I am amazing.

Auntie Alice liked my flowers and bought all the ones I chosed, and some that she picked too. And y'know what I saw when we went to the car? Bella's truck! Yeah, it was parked down the street and that made me really happy to see it, 'cause it makes me happy when I see Bella. See? Simple.

"Auntie Alice, look! It's Bella!" She was just getting out of her truck and still hadn't seen me yet!

I asked if I could run down to see Bella and Auntie Alice said yes. So I did. I'm a really, super fast runner and Bella didn't even know I was running over until I wrapped my arms around her back in a cuddle. I giggled when she jumped in surprise.

"Hi, Bella!"

She didn't look scared no more when she saw it was me. "Cooper, you scared me!"

"Did you not know it was me, Bella?"

"I didn't even know you were there, Coop!"

She called me Coop! My Dad calls me 'Coop.'

"You can call me 'Coop' all the time if you want, 'cause that's what my Dad calls me and I like it."

Bella smiled and put her arm around my shoulders. "Then I'll call you that more often."

"What are you doing, Bella? I'm buying flowers with Auntie Alice." Auntie Alice came over too and she and Bella hugged each other when they said 'hello'.

"I've just finished work and I always go for a coffee when I finish, so I'm going to get one."

I want to go! I want to have a coffee with Bella too! I don't like coffee, but I'll have a milkshake or something…and a cookie! Yum, cookies are tasty, 'specially with chocolate bits. I asked Auntie Alice if I could have a milkshake and cookie and she said yes! I think I still had lots-a-lots-a hours 'til Dad is coming back, so we have time. Yus! I love cookies.

0-0

Bella.

I should have known Alice was up to something. She looked way too suspicious the whole time we sat at the coffee table. I usually get a cup-to-go, but I must admit it was very enjoyable to sit with Alice and Cooper (sorry, I mean 'Coop') and have a catch-up. Coop eagerly told us both about a new exotic animal and how they had made cupcakes earlier – he apologised for not making one for me, which I thought was really damn cute. But it was when Alice started talking about Thanksgiving that I got nervous.

"So…what are your plans next week?"

"I'm having lots-a-lots-a turkey!" Coop bounced on his seat – a sure sign he has had way too much sugar for his little body to cope with.

"Charlie and I tend to have a quiet meal together; might invite some of his friends over for beer and pie." I shrugged, "y'know, the usual."

"Who's Charlie?" Coop was now on his second cookie and still bouncing slightly from side to side.

"Charlie is my dad – he's the Chief Policeman here in town." Coop instantly knew who I was talking about and started giggling whilst brushing his finger along his upper lip, imitating a moustache.

Back to Alice. "Great! You'll be free to come to our party on Monday, then? Emmett and Rosalie are heading to New York on Tuesday so we're having an early Thanksgiving drinks on Monday. You'll come then, right?"

I thought long and hard over an excuse not to go (not that I don't love the Cullens, but I haven't seen them in so long, it would be really awkward) but unfortunately, I couldn't come up with an honest answer. "I'm not sure…it's a time for family and -."

"—No, it's to spend time with loved ones. Bella please. You're not a stranger to us (even if it has been, like, a decade) and I know a certain father-son duo who would love you to be there…" Alice edged over to Coop and smirked at him quickly.

I really didn't have any excuse otherwise, and seeing Edward, perhaps dressed in a sexy suit again, would not be offensive to the eye…Ah shit, who am I kidding here? "Okay, fine! Where and when?"

Alice squealed and Coop (too engrossed in his third cookie) smiled in a daze. Both gave each other a high five and an 'oh, yeah'.

I don't think I want to know what they're up to.

0-0

"Cooper, slow down!" Alice and I were casually strolling down the street watching Coop 'fly' down, spinning around and dodging the odd pedestrian. "Now I see why Edward refuses to give him much sugar."

"But I'm being Iron Maaan!" Coop hooked his arm around a lamp post and spun around…and around…and around again.

Alice groaned into my shoulder. "Edward is going to kill me. Cooper has had cake mix, icing, Skittles, cupcakes, a sugary milkshake and three cookies…"

As we both laughed at the probability of Alice's soon-coming death, we heard, what sounded like, a loud slap on the ground and then a piercing cry. We didn't delay running over to see the damage. I've used this saying so many times, but never until this moment have I literally meant; I physically sucked back my gasp.

All I took notice of was the blood pooling from his mouth. Even with Alice and I kneeling down and doing our best to calm him down, Coop was screaming in pain with his hand shaking in front of his bloody mouth. My heart went out to the little boy; it looked so painful. Alice took out a tissue from her purse but when she went to clean up the mess, Coop refused and moved away from her hand.

"Cooper, sweetheart, I need to clean your face up a bit."

"Nnnnoo…I wan- ma daaaa-y." His speech was mumbled from the accident; his upper lip had already swollen twice the size and had turned an odd-purple in colour. I noticed Cooper leaning towards me more than Alice, and I took that for granted.

"Coop," I soothed, rubbing his shoulder, "you'll feel much better if you let us clean up your mouth – I promise." It took some more persuading until he took the tissue from Alice and dabbed it on his chin, he winced back instantly. "Oh, I think you've grazed your chin, Coop. Here, do you want me to do it?"

After cleaning up his mouth as best we could, Alice noticed what had happened. She subtly tapped her teeth and then tapped her top-lip in a way to say that his teeth had gone through his lip along with the graze on his chin.

"Shall I phone Edward?" I asked Alice this question, but Coop decided to answer it himself.

"Yeah!" He screamed, still with the tears falling.

I hushed him against my front and had a silent conversation with Alice. 'Hospital?' I mouthed.

She thought it over then shook her head, "Sweetheart, do you want to go and see Grandpa?"

With another tearful nod we helped Cooper into the back of Alice's car and drove off to see Carlisle.

0-0

I passed Edward the mug of coffee and sat beside him at the kitchen table. It was nearing ten-pm and Cooper had been sleeping peacefully for the past couple of hours. Thankfully he didn't need any stitches or special medical attention – Carlisle took him to his office at home and worked his magic; wiping off the blood, rubbing a cream onto his cut and the graze and double-checking that Cooper hadn't chipped any teeth when he fell.

Unfortunately, due to lack of phone signal, Edward never got the message until he was heading home. As we expected, he was far from calm. Stuttering, asking us to explain what had happened and if Coop had went to hospital or not. We did our best to reassure him that everything was fine.

"Thanks," he mumbled, "I'm sorry for taking up your day, Bella."

"Hey, don't be ridiculous. I couldn't have left even if I had to."

Edward took a sip of coffee and then rubbed his temple with one hand. "I still can't thank you for how you helped today. I know it wasn't a major wound or something life-threatening, but I can imagine how scared he must have been, and it means a lot to know that you were there to help him."

My only response was to smile and clap my hand against his arm. "Honestly you don't have to thank me."

"It's just… when I heard your messages, saying he had had an accident and Carlisle was looking at him I freaked out – what was wrong? Is he okay? Is it serious? – The pain…the worry…it was like nothing I had felt before…I have always been there when he's hurt himself, and today I wasn't…Sorry, I'm rambling on here, but I feel so much better that he had you and Alice there for comfort."

He looked so vulnerable and as he rambled his most recent sentence pain winced through his eyes slightly, but, again, it only made me smile more. I can't say what it was, but some wild attraction growing strong. "Edward, that little boy already means so much to me – there's nothing I wouldn't do for him."

So, we're getting there, no? And if you've seen the movie Real Steel with Hugh Jackman (*Huge* Jackman…) then the little boy, Max, is the perfect Cooper, only a wee bit older! (the actor is representing him in the pictures I've made…) So check that out!

Facebook Group – RosieRathbone FanFiction, for sneak-peeks, pictures and general ramblings ;)

Thoughts?