Penname: kyla713
Creative Original or Derivative Fiction: Derivative
Rating/Warning(s): M
Disclaimer: All copyrighted, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.
Prompt: Word Prompt: Candy
"Where is it, Mommy?" Ally asked, her long brown curls bouncing with the movement of her head.
"Where would the fun be if I told you?" Bella replied with a teasing smile, giving a soft laugh when her daughter's green eyes glanced over at her for a moment before taking off running down the hall.
"I found it! I found it!" the little girl exclaimed, returning to her mother in the hallway with a small piece of candy between her fingers.
"I don't know, I think there might be more," Bella said with a slight shrug, and her daughter shrieked before resuming her hunt for candy. She would never get over how much the little girl reminded her of her father, and how much she'd wished they could have had more children. Ally had gotten her hair, but the rest of her was entirely Cullen, from the green eyes to her tall, lean frame – even at five years old – and the long fingers that were already being put to use on the grand piano at her grandparent's house. And her enthusiasm over even the littlest things … such as a simple candy hunt.
"I found another one, Mommy!" Ally called out from across the living room as she began entering the kitchen. "There's more!"
Bella walked to the doorway on the opposite side of the kitchen, watching her daughter bouncing with excitement as a long trail ran the length of the floor. Each step she took was met by a pause to bend over and pick up another piece, until reaching the hallway at her father's office door. The twisted end of another wrapper stuck out from underneath and Ally glanced up at her mother worriedly. "Well?"
Ally cupped her hand beside her mouth and stood on her toes, and Bella bent at the waist for her to whisper in her ear. "No one goes into Daddy's office. He'll be mad."
"I think he'll be okay just this once. It's for candy, after all," Bella replied softly and watched the little girl bite her lip nervously, raising her hand to the doorknob to turn it.
Ally's eyes filled with tears as the door swung open, and her hands covered her mouth. "Daddy?"
Behind the large mahogany desk in his high-backed leather chair, Edward sat with the first smile they'd seen on his face in ages. He'd barely been home for even a few days at a time over the past year, and this last trip had taken him away for over six weeks. He'd finally had enough of being away from his family so much, and being short-tempered and otherwise emotionally absent due to exhaustion when he was home. He couldn't remember the last time he put his little girl to bed, or made love to his wife; always more consumed with business.
He'd become his father, and that was going to change.
"Merry Christmas, baby," he replied, holding his arms out for his daughter, which she ran into, squeezing him tightly around the neck.
"You're really here for Christmas this time?" she cried as he lifted her into his lap, her face buried into his shoulder. She began sniffing his shirt collar as she did every single time he was home, memorizing the scent of his cologne again, for the next time he went away.
"I'm really home for Christmas this time," he answered, hugging his arms around her as his eyes met his wife's briefly before returning to his daughter's face. "And your birthday."
Ally's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Her birthday was still two weeks away, and each year previous had been met with disappointment and an excuse, along with a phone call and expensive presents when he finally returned. She didn't have a single memory of her father on her birthday. "But what about work?"
Edward took a deep breath and his palm rested gently on her cheek. "Daddy's not going to be doing that anymore. I've missed you and Mommy way too much."
"You don't have a job?" Ally exclaimed, her eyes widening all the more.
"I still have a job, baby. Just a different job. No more long trips, and a long vacation. How does Disneyland sound for your birthday?" Edward asked with a raised eyebrow, watching the smile stretch across his little girl's face.
Ally could barely respond more than hugging him tightly around the neck again, and he looked to his wife again, marveling at the smile on her face as well.
"You," she mouthed, pointing at him and then pressing her fingertip to her chest. "Are mine tonight."
His tongue ran over his lower lip in an attempt to restrain laughter and he smiled back at her, nodding his head. "Love you," he replied silently, and she blew him a kiss.
"Love you, too."
A/N: I am hoping to have more updates ready come the weekend, but with school being out, I can make no promises. So just in case, Happy Holidays to you all!