Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
AN: I'm apologizing for this one in advance, you guys...seriously. There's a little bit of tragedy mixed into this, and I think it might hurt a little. Really, really hope you check it out though. It could be my favorite to date.
The Twilight Twenty-Five
TheTwilight25 dot com
Prompt: #21
Penname: meliz875
Pairing/Character(s): Bella/Quil
Rating: T
Word count: 498
Photo prompts can be found here: thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts
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"Okay, so just imagine the water is a big tub of chocolate syrup…"
Bella lowered her sunglasses to watch her four-year-old daughter jumping excitedly on short, chubby legs. She'd waded into the water, but that was as far as she went.
Now, she was contemplating the jump, but thinking better of it each time she took a step closer to edge.
Shifting her gaze, Bella's scanned the beach, seeing all the faces she knew. Jacob, Sam, Paul. All the imprints. Feeling the tightness that never really went away, remembering who was missing.
Bella closed her eyes until it passed, opening them a second later. Feeling a sudden lightness inside her when she found Quil, standing chest-deep in water, trying to prompt her soft-spoken, cautious little girl off the dock.
"Only Quil would try to rationalize with a toddler..."
Bella caught Leah's stare before the other woman tipped her head back, letting the rare sunshine spill over her copper skin.
Chuckling, Bella looked back to her now squealing daughter. "I don't think he's gonna get her to jump."
Leah made a noise of dissent. "He will, even if he has to stay in that water all fucking day to do it." She sighed. "He'd do just about anything for that kid. You know that, right?"
Releasing a heavy breath, Bella knew Leah was right.
It had been three years since a group of nomad vampires crossed into Quileute territory. There were at least a dozen of them, catching the pack off guard. They'd fought, eventually driving the leeches off their land, but the pack paid a heavy price for the battle they fought.
The price was the person missing. Her daughter's father. Someone who still held the largest piece of Bella's heart.
It took Bella longer than it should have to remember to move after Embry was gone. She fought Quil the first time he showed up, and the time after that, until the day he took her by the shoulders, shaking her. Silencing her protests.
"I'm not trying to replace him, Bella," he'd said. "But I promised him...that I'd be there for her...and for you."
Her daughter adored her uncle Quil, and her short life was filled with moments like this. He was always there, sitting on the sidelines at her tumbling class. Making sandcastles. Letting her win every game of Chutes and Ladders.
The first time Bella felt an unfamiliar warmth was the day Quil showed up with pink fingernails. He shrugged knowingly at her, but all Bella could do was smile.
He never replaced what they lost, but he filled that void with something else. Something they both needed.
"He'd do just about anything for you too…"
Bella felt that warmth again, hearing Leah's voice next to her.
The moment her daughter finally jumped. When Bella's heart swelled with pride and a hope she hadn't felt in so long.
And Bella couldn't help but think...
Maybe it was time she made that jump, too.
AN: I am an emotional puddle on the floor...
Review if you like. :)
