Merry Christmas Eve Eve! Hope you're all having a lovely holiday. Thanks for sticking around and eternal thanks to my girls for working whilst on vacation.

Pulling Heaven Down - Working

Edward

"I've got some things to do at my place and then my brother wants to hang out, okay?" I told Leah once we got back to her apartment.

"Okay," she pouted, but a smile played on her lips. "We'll miss you." She jiggled Harry in her arms and he gurgled happily.

"Me too. I'll call you later." I kissed her and pressed a kiss to Harry's head before leaving them standing in the doorway. Leaving never got easier, especially after the night Leah and I had spent together. Not to mention the fact that Sam had said something to upset her- something she hadn't told me. I didn't pry, though; she would let me know what was bothering her when she was ready.

I did what I could around my apartment before I was supposed to have drinks with Emmett. It had been a couple of weeks since I'd even slept at my own place, let alone cleaned or done laundry, both of which I hated to do. Most of the time I didn't even think twice about going to Leah's. It had become second nature to me to go to her place after I got off work. There was nowhere else I'd rather be than with her and Harry, because wherever they were was home.

"There you are, you pansy," my brother greeted me a little while later outside the divey little sports bar we liked to go to.

"You're such as asshole." I rolled my eyes and punched him in the shoulder.

"It's part of my charm, brother dear." Emmett grinned and led me inside to a booth. We ordered drinks and talked about work. Emmett was a science teacher and high school football coach, and was getting his team ready for summer practices to start.

"So, are they going to be any good this year?" I asked, trying to hide my grin. Emmett was great, but the players…well, they needed work.

"God, probably not," he sighed, and rested his chin in his hand. "I mean, they're a great bunch of kids but…"

"Hey, as long as they have fun, right?"

"Sure thing, Dad. Jeez, you sound more like Carlisle every damn day," he joked lightly, though we both knew the weight behind his words. Being like our dad was something both Emmett and I strived to do.

I laughed and sipped my beer. "Speaking of dads, Harry saw his today."

"Sorry, bro." Emmett frowned and looked down at the table. "You know, I never thought I'd see you like that."

"Like what?"

"I don't know…a family man." My brother shrugged. "You've always been so focused on school and work."

"Well, I didn't think you'd make it to see twenty-one," I said sarcastically.

"Fuck, man, me either," he laughed. "It's nice though. You and Leah are good together. Really, really good."

"Yeah…I just hate that Harry has to be put in the middle of all this."

"Of course you do. You love him; you don't want to see him hurt. It's what any good father feels."

"But his real father is an asshole," I muttered.

"Yeah, and so was yours. But kids have a way of fixing those kinds of things, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Think about it, Ed. That kid claimed you. You're his- anybody can see that. I'm betting Leah's ex can see it, too."

I chewed my lip while I thought about Emmett's words. Harry had claimed me in his own way and, in that same way, so had Leah.

"You're getting all misty-eyed, are your hormones acting up? Gonna start your period soon?" Emmett teased.

"Fuck you, I've seen you cry more times than I'd like." I tossed a wadded-up napkin at him and he batted it away.

"Hey, I'm a sensitive man," he defended himself. "I'm not afraid to shed a tear or two."

"Or sob like a little bitch?"

Emmett smirked. "Yeah, yeah. You'll get it one day."

"I'm thinking I already do."

xXx

The apartment was dark when I quietly stepped in and closed the door behind me. I'd called Leah during one of Emmett's trips to the bathroom (for such a big guy, he had the bladder of an ant) and asked if it were too late to come over.

She'd laughed and basically threatened special parts of my body if I didn't show up. Of course, I wasn't expecting to find her crying in the dark when I arrived.

"Hey, what the hell is going on?" I fell onto the couch with her and pulled her into my arms.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want you to see me like this," she sniffled, and wiped her eyes.

"Are you okay? Is it Harry? Is it me?"

"No, God no. I'm sorry!" she apologized again. I wrapped my arms tighter around her and stroked her hair.

"What's got you so upset?"

"I was just thinking about what Sam had said earlier."

"Which was…?"

"He didn't like how close you and Harry were, or the idea of his son dealing with a bunch of strange men." She frowned as she spoke.

"Well, unless you sneak them in when I'm at work…" I trailed off, trying to make her smile. She slapped my arm. "Ow," I muttered.

"I worry enough about how attached Harry is to you, you know?"

"I'm pretty attached to him, too." I smiled, and then gently brushed her tears away. "And you."

"I know, Edward. I just don't have the best track record and I can't imagine Harry going through another-"

"Then it's a good thing I'm madly in love with you, isn't it?" I interrupted her. Her eyes widened briefly before she nodded, very slowly. "We talked about this before, Leah. Don't let him make you feel this way, don't give him what he wants."

"I know," she breathed out the words and pressed her forehead to mine. "I don't know why I let him get to me."

I wanted to say: Me either, you stupid, beautiful woman, but I kept that to myself and kissed her instead. It was slow, building with each stroke of her tongue against mine. More intense with each inch of her skin my fingertips touched. We shifted on the couch, until her back was pressed to the cool leather and my shirt was being pulled over my head. Leah's legs shifted beneath me, drawing me closer while her nails dug into my shoulders.

I pressed my lips to her neck, enjoying the way her body reacted underneath mine. The way her hands ran down my chest and unbuttoned my jeans, how she scraped her teeth across my shoulder and whispered my name. She pushed my jeans down quickly and I did the same to her little pajama shorts, and then pulled her into my lap. Leah sighed, snaking her hands into my hair and kissing me eagerly. I lifted her shirt over her head, reveling in her beauty and running my hands over her smooth, caramel-colored skin.

She laughed quietly as my fingers trailed down her sides, and I tucked that memory away for later.

"Ticklish?" I whispered to her collarbone.

"A little," she replied with a shy smile. "Do you have…"

"Oh, yeah." I reached down into my jeans and pulled out a strip of condoms, feeling incredibly cheesy.

Leah snorted and took them from me. "You're such a Boy Scout," she teased as she ripped one off with her teeth and tossed the rest on the ground.

"Better than a unicorn." I grinned while her hands moved between us and she lifted herself closer to me.

"You said I was forgiven for that," her voice was strained as she lowered herself down.

"You are now," I murmured as I slid my hands up her back and grasped her shoulders.

"Fuck," she whispered, pressing her forehead to mine and resting her hands on my shoulders. I smiled, enjoying the way she moved over me. She was beautiful and completely in control of me. I let her lead, listening to her heavy breaths and quiet whispers. I kissed and touched until she was shaking in my arms and we were both falling over the edge.

Leah buried her face in my neck as her breathing slowed. I let my hands roam her skin until my arms were wrapped tightly around her.

"You've really got a knack for distracting me, you know?" she said quietly. Her chest pressed to mine and I kissed her hair.

"I hope to keep doing it, too," I whispered back. Leah laughed, the movement of her body making things happen to mine.

"Then we should probably continue this somewhere more comfortable. And do it quickly before-"

"Don't. Don't say it." I covered her mouth with my hand and she licked my palm.

"You better hurry." She grinned, slipping off my lap and tip-toeing down the hall. I gathered our clothes and followed her…quickly.

Leah

"Are you sure you want to do this today?" Rosalie asked with a sympathetic smile the next Monday.

"Might as well," I sighed, picking up my coffee cup and casting a glance at where Harry and Michael were playing on the floor. Rose had agreed to show me Michael's daycare center to see if I thought it would be the right place for Harry, too. We were both excited about the prospect of the boys being in school together.

"You'll really like the place, they're great," she reassured me.

I was about to reply when Edward stumbled into the living room in nothing but his boxers. He scratched his head and glanced at me with sleepy eyes. It took a moment before he realized that Rose was sitting on the couch with me and he promptly turned on his heel and headed back to my bedroom.

"Oops," I laughed, but she shook her head.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before," Rose said with a wave of her hand.

"Oh, really?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, he did live with us for a while," she giggled. "I may have walked in on him in the shower…twice."

"It was three times, and I'm pretty sure the last two weren't accidents," Edward grumbled after reentering the living room, fully dressed, and settling on the floor with the boys.

She winked."Don't tell your brother."

"Were you guys that kind of family?" I asked, enjoying the way Edward's cheeks turned bright red. "You know, 'if you can't keep it in your pants, keep it in your genes'?"

Edward snorted. "Filthy, filthy women, boys," he muttered to Michael and Harry with a shake of his head. "Don't ever let girls convince you that they're the ones with delicate sensibilities."

"May as well get them used to it early." Rose sipped her coffee and waggled her eyebrows. "Are you ready yet? Time to rip the band-aid off, babe."

"What band-aid?" Edward asked. He fell back onto the rug and lifted a happily shrieking Harry into the air over him, lifting him up and down and blowing raspberries on his cheek each time.

"I'm taking Leah to check out Michael's daycare," Rose explained. Edward sat up and looked from Rose to me with a frown.

Rose laughed loudly. "Leah had the same expression when I showed up," she giggled.

"Well, I remember someone crying on Michael's first day of daycare, so no teasing." Edward sat up and set Harry down.

"Yeah, Emmett's never going to live that down, is he?"

Edward chuckled and shook his head before he kissed both of the boys' heads and stood up.

"You guys have fun. I've got to get ready for work." Edward tried to muss Rose's perfect hair, but she batted his hand away. I excused myself after he left, made him a cup of coffee, and took it to him in my bedroom.

"Sorry, I forgot to mention she was coming over," I apologized, and handed him the cup.

"No worries, sweetheart." Edward wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed my hair. "I'm glad you have Rose to help you."

"Yeah, even if she's seen all the goods." I raised an eyebrow at him and he grinned.

"Just once. Accidentally," he explained before kissing me gently.

"Mmhm," I muttered against his lips. "Special family."

"Trust me, beautiful."

"I do, baby," I answered with a laugh.

"Don't think too much today, got it?" He brushed my hair from my face and gazed down at me. I sighed and pressed my lips to his cheek.

"I won't."

He gave me a dubious look that caused me to laugh.

"Okay, I'll try not to."

"That's my girl." He smacked my ass, kissed my forehead, and stepped away. "Love you, call me later."

I smiled, shaking my head and making my way back to the living room where Rose was on the floor with the boys making them pick up the toys they had scattered across the floor.

"Train 'em early, that's what I always say," she said with a grin.

I just laughed and scooped my son up, ready to take a new step in our lives.

xXx

"So, you like it?" Rose asked after we'd sat down for lunch at a little café down the street from Michael's daycare.

I sighed and rubbed my hand over Harry's messy hair. "I did."

"It's hard, isn't it?" She smiled warmly, and I nodded.

"It'll be good for him," I told her. "And me."

"Plus, he'll get to play with Michael. They'll be in the same age group," she explained. "That will be great since they'll be spending so much time together growing up."

"What do you mean?" I asked suspiciously. She had a gleam in her bright blue eyes that made me incredibly nervous.

"Oh, I was just really close with all my cousins. I hope the boys will be close, too."

"Cousins?" I coughed and reached for my water.

"Come on, Leah. You know it's going to happen. Do you see the way Edward looks at you? I mean, really."

I laughed and lifted Harry from his stroller.

"Yeah, I see it. I feel it. I live it. We both do."

"He needs someone like you."

"Well, I need someone like him, so it all works out, doesn't it?"