Long A/N: I want to start off by saying how incredibly sorry I am for putting this story on hiatus for 4 years. I was in a really bad place when I started this story and I ended up having to take a break from the site until my mental health was better. To save you from rereading this story I thought I'd just give you a quick recap of the character profiles to help remind you where we were.

Bella lives at Swan's Stables - a horse riding ranch that has been in her family for generations. She lives in a protective bubble with her five year old son, Noah. Her ex-husband, Mike, was physically abusive to both Bella and Noah and is now serving a life sentence in jail. As a favour for her friend, Rosalie, Bella hired Edward who was on parole. She wasn't sure on the idea at first, but slowly she has come to realise that Edward is just who they need in their life. Bella and Noah own a lot of different pets and animals all with crazy names (thanks to Noah) but I'll do my best to remind you of them all as the chapters continue.

Edward was found in possession of Class B drugs and was sentenced to five years for his crime. After 4.5 years he was released on parole but in order to stick to the rules he had to find a job. He started working for Bella. Things weren't easy for him, but after some time he finally got settled at Swan's Stables. He grew very fond of Bella and her son. Noah nicknamed him 'Inky' because of his tattoos. Recently he has completed his parole and was gifted a small cabin-like house where he can live with his ten-year-old daughter, Corin. Because of his misdemeanours, Edward's relationship with his parents isn't great, but he has Corin, Bella and Noah, and that is all he needs right now.

We continue the story in January - 9 months since Edward's release, and a month since he completed his parole.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Inky

"Good morning, Sweetheart…"

One thing that I learnt about Corin - she is definitely not a morning person. We have been living in this new house for a month now, and every morning I've had to rely on two alarms to wake her up for school. I thought my mom would have at least told me that much about her. It was an interesting surprise, I suppose.

I crouched down beside her bed and stroked back her hair. In the sun you could see the coppery tones that she had inherited from me. I never would have thought that a hair color would make me feel proud, yet it did. "C'mon, Princess, you need to get up now."

After a bit more persuasion Corin finally woke up. She stretched out under her covers as her eyes opened. A beautiful smile spread out across her face; I wasn't the only one enjoying this new living arrangement. I had lost count how many times I had dreamt about living with Corin again, and now it was here.

"I'll make your breakfast whilst you have a shower, yeah?" Corin nodded her reply. "What would you like today - toast or cereal?"

"Erm… toast please, Daddy."

"You got it, baby girl. You've gotta be quick though, okay?" I gave her a sweet kiss on her crown as I left her to shower in our shared bathroom.

The house was all on one level, and apart from the bedrooms and bathrooms it was all open-planned with wide windows that looked out across the green surroundings. It was technically part of Charlie's land but you couldn't see his house, so we were literally the only people here. Growing up in downtown Seattle I never imagined myself living in the countryside, but I could see why Bella loved it so much.

To her request, I had the toast and peanut butter ready by the time that Corin left her room all ready for school.

"Could Bella do my hair for me, Daddy?"

"As long as we leave on time."

Now that we live five minutes from Swan's Stables, Bella and I had come up with a plan. Both kids go to the same school, so it never made any sense for us both to make the trip. Today it was my turn to take Noah and Corin to school and collect them again at the end of the day. Noah had told me how much he enjoys me taking him to school, simply for the fact that my old truck only had the one row of seats which meant that he could sit in the front between Corin and I.

I really need a new car, but there was only so much that I could afford after leaving prison. It got us from A to B, so it'll do for now.

Despite being in a rush, we still managed to leave the house with plenty of time for Bella to do Corin's hair. "I'll have to give you lunch money today, Princess. Is that okay?"

"Of course, Daddy!"

I was still getting used to this whole thing, especially when it came to having food in for her lunches. I was so used to only buying what I needed for dinner, and for one person, but I'd get used to it soon, I'm sure. I also couldn't afford to give her five dollars every day for lunch. Perhaps Bella could give me some tips…

After a brief drive down the dirt track that separated our houses, we arrived at Swan's Stables to see that Alice and Jasper had already arrived for their shifts. Noah was feeding his Shetland Pony, Tiny, a carrot. He waved enthusiastically when he saw us approaching.

"Inky! Inky, lookit!"

I stepped from my truck just in time to catch my favorite boy in a hug. When he pulled away from the hug I noticed that he had scribbled a pattern all over the backs of his hands. Black and red lines swirled into one. "Wow, Lil' Man, that looks great."

"Now I have dem inky things too! We're matching, see!" He lined his tiny hands up against my own to compare the difference between his 'tattoos' and the roses that graced my skin.

"Does your Momma know about this?"

"Yeah… but she's no happy with me. I'm no 'llowed to touch her pens."

I had a feeling that he had used Bella's Sharpies to create his artwork. I quickly understood why Bella wouldn't be happy with him drawing all over himself. With time quickly ticking away, I walked Noah back to the house to collect his things with Corin a step behind. We entered through the door which led to the kitchen where Bella was found packing everything into Noah's Woody backpack and Monster's Inc lunch bag.

"Morning, Miss Bella." Corin ran over for a cuddle. "Could you do my hair for me, please?"

"Do I need to teach your dad some hair styles?"

A look of love fell from Bella onto my daughter as she brushed back Corin's hair. I'd never spoken to Corin about her mother, but I knew that Bella's affection meant a lot to her. This is what she needed all her life, and I hoped that from now on she had it.

"Have you got everything, Lil' Man?" I zipped up Noah's jacket and straightened up Poppa Charlie's old cowboy hat that drowned his head.

"Yep! Momma said I has a treat if I'm good today!"

"Oh really?"

"I hope it's a friend for Alfie!" Noah carries his lop-eared rabbit around with him everywhere and asks for another bunny at every chance that he gets.

Bella put the finishing touches to Corin's pony tail before bringing her son in for a cuddle. We said our goodbyes to Bella and headed off to school in a hurry after transferring Noah's seat from Bella's truck to mine.

"Inky, my Momma said is'a weekend after today?" Noah sat in between Corin and I - his little legs dangled over the tip of his seat.

"Your momma is right; you have two days off after today, and then back to school on Monday."

"We can play together! Colin, you too!" I wondered whether Noah's mispronunciation of Corin's name would ever change, or whether it'll be 'Colin' forever.

"Sure, buddy - I think I can find time to play."

We arrived at the school with five minutes to spare before the bell rang. I gave Corin a hug and a kiss, told her I loved her, and she ran into the building to catch up with her friends. Noah held my hand in a tight squeeze as I walked him into his classroom. We didn't need to walk him now, but because of Bella's fear of her ex-husband and his family, she couldn't walk away unless she saw him safely with his teacher. He told me constantly how much he loved his teacher, Miss Weber.

"Good morning, Noah." She was sat at her desk that was covered in colorful paintings and artwork that her students had spent a lot of time and effort creating.

"Hi, Miss Weber! Inky took me to school today!"

I had taken Noah to school a few times now, so she recognized my face. "Will Inky be collecting you too?" Her question was more aimed towards me, for security reasons, but Noah was very excited to announce that, yes, I would also be collecting him. The teachers of the school had been informed about Mike Newton and knew never to allow Noah to leave with anyone else unless Bella told them otherwise. It was their job regardless, however having Noah out of her sight was a big thing for Bella, so I knew how much she appreciated the school's security and guidelines.

I helped Noah in hanging up his backpack and jacket and slid his lunch bag into the cubby holes. "Have a good day, Lil' Man. I love you."

"Love you, Inky! Will you feed my animals for me?"

"Of course, Buddy. I'll see you later, okay?"

His tiny arms wrapped around my neck in a squeeze. He told me once again that he loved me before I left the room.

0-0

As we waited on Bella to hire new members of our team, it did make the workload slightly harder to handle. We had six separate paddocks to check, fill and clean, and a total of thirty animals who all needed fed and watered. The ducklings - Piglet, Kevin, Snack-A-Jack and Cwist, had grown out of their pen in Noah's Arc, so they now lived in the large, open pond - they were easier to handle, but they still needed to be checked over.

Jasper and I focused on the paddocks, whilst Alice and Bella worked on brushing down the horses and feeding the rest of the 'farm' (as Noah liked to call it). It was a Friday which meant that riding lessons started at two o'clock and finished at five. Usually they would finish at six, but they had to cut the time because of the winter months. As long as Jasper and I had our work done by one, we could take over from Alice and Bella so that they could get started on setting up the lessons.

"Hey, man." Jasper wondered over with a bucket of oats cradled in both arms. "The Rockys are just about done, and then I'll head over to the Francais'."

"Awesome, I'll get started on the Andalusians."

I collected everything I'd need from the hut, and got to work.

"Edward!" Bella called my name as I was half way through mucking out the Adalusians' stable. She crossed the grassy paddock, her rain boots squelched through the mud and remaining snow. "I'm sorry I didn't have time to talk this morning."

I held her in a hug and pecked her cheek sweetly. After our trip to Disneyland last month, and after we had shared our first kiss, nothing had progressed from there. I knew that Bella deals with many mental struggles everyday, so I didn't want to push anything, but I would kiss her cheeks when I had the opportunity. "How are you?"

"Tired." She rested her head against my chest. "Could I ask a favor of you when you collect the kids later?"

"Of course, Sweetheart."

Bella stepped away so that she could lean against the wood of the stable. "We ran out of Lucky Charms this morning and if Noah doesn't have any for breakfast tomorrow there will be hell to pay. I don't have a single spare minute, and so -."

She didn't need to explain any more. "Don't worry; if you tell me what you need I'll be more than happy to go to the store for you. I need food for Corin and I anyway - it only makes sense."

0-0

"Inky, look what I did for you, Inky!" Noah ran towards me as I entered his classroom. A piece of paper clutched in his hand.

He had drawn me a picture which consisted of four people - each one with large, bulbous heads, and sausage arms and legs. Nobody had a torso, and two of the people were much smaller than the others. I could tell the people apart from the hair color alone - Corin and Bella both had brown lines of hair that ran from their ears to half way down their legs. I had orange spiked hair, and Noah's was brown. Spotted around the edge of the paper were squiggly drawings, which turned out to be the animals.

"Did you give me orange hair?" I laughed and wrapped my arm around my boy.

"Yeah, 'cause you has orange bits!" He's so damn cute.

"I love it, Lil' Man. Thank you."

Turning the paper over I saw the words 'My Family' written by his teacher, and then Noah had added his name beside it - N0aH sWAn.

Corin happily ran over to us outside the school; her bag swung from side to side. Her excitement to see me will never get old. "Did you have a good day, Princess?"

"Yeah, I'm glad it's the weekend though." Corin didn't shy away from my eager hug. I knew a day would come when it will appear embarrassing to hug your father in front of your friends, but until that day arrives, I'm going to take as much affection as possible.

"We'll get your homework done tonight and then we can enjoy the weekend together, yeah?"

"I has work too, Inky!" Noah shouted from inside the truck.

"Oh yeah? What do you need to do?"

"Er…" Noah tapped his tiny finger against his chin. "Well, I dunno, but Momma prob'ly needs help with all n'animals. I wanna make lots-a-lots-a cakes too!"

"Can I help with the cakes?" Corin asked sweetly.

"Yeah! Colin and me will make cakes!"

With the two kids entertaining each other, I drove us to the nearest store with Bella's list in my wallet. To my absolute astonishment they were pleased to come in with me and Noah was more than happy to help if it meant that he could sit in the cart. He also wanted to hold the list.

"I'll tells ya what ya need, 'kay?"

"Okay, what's first?"

"Er… I dunno - I can't read, Inky." Corin stood on tip-toes and cupped her hand around Noah's ear to whisper him the answer. "Cheese!" He announced proudly.

Their fun little game continued until we had reached the final aisle and everything was in the cart. I told Corin that she could help herself to any soda she wanted and I grabbed a bottle of coke for myself. Coca-Cola was the new Budweiser to me.

"Ed?"

I didn't even recognize the guy until I took a good look at him. "Matt?" He was a shell of his former self - greasy hair, scars, spots, and at least three teeth missing. His remaining teeth were grey and damaged from all the drug use. Matt was my closest friend ten years ago. He was the one who got me into the drink and drugs in the first place, and is partly to blame for the reason that I got sent to prison. I had my entire life sorted, and I changed myself completely when Corin was born, but Matt asked me to join him for a couple beers… and the rest is history.

"Fuck, man! How you doing?!" Matt had a crate of beer clutched in his hands. He held it like you'd hold a newborn baby. Alcohol is his baby.

"Er, yeah, I'm… I'm great." I subtly moved closer towards Corin and Noah in protection. I knew that Matt would never hurt them, but they didn't know that.

"Fuck, you got two kids now? Boy looks just like you!" It really irked me how much he swore in front of them. Instead of correcting his mistake I accepted it to try and get this conversation over with.

"Well it was good to see you, Matt." I made sure Corin held onto the cart tightly as we made our way past him.

"Hey," he tapped my arm. He edged closer with a sketchy look on his face. "You got anything spare?" Matt rubbed his thumb and fingers together in the universal sign for money. "My dealer is busting my ass and I have rent due next week."

I wanted to say that money was just as tight for me, but I knew he needed it more than I did. Without saying a word I pulled ten bucks out from my wallet and slapped it into his sweaty hand. I refused to say another word and my irritated attitude continued until we were safely in the truck. My interaction with Matt was an eye-opener. Had Corin never been born, I probably would have ended up that way. As a stubborn seventeen year old kid I never listened to my parents when they told me that the drugs would ruin my life, I don't know why I never believed them. Hopefully Matt could teach Corin never to let peer pressure control her life like it did mine.

"Inky? Why did that man say you is my daddy?" His scared face made me want to cry. Bella was going to fucking kill me for allowing that to happen in front of him.

"He just got confused, Lil' Man."

"Is 'cause he had the bad drink, right?"

It broke my heart that Noah, a five year old, could recognize beer as easily as that. His only memory of his 'Daddy' is when he would get drunk and the terror that was unleashed when the beers came out. I had to reel in my anger before it got the better of me.

"Don't worry about people like that, Noah. I love you, and I won't let them hurt you."

"'Cause we're Woody and Buzz?"

With a smile, I tipped the front of Charlie's cowboy hat that continued to sit on Noah's head. "That's right, Buddy. We'll always be Woody and Buzz."

0-0

Bella and Alice were in the middle of their lessons when we arrived back at the stables. I let myself into her kitchen to put the shopping away and placed her twenty dollars back onto the worktop. She might not be happy that I paid for the food myself, but there wasn't much she could do about it now. Noah ran upstairs to his room to see Alfie the bunny, and Corin played with Zucko the Australian Shepherd on the kitchen floor, but I was quick to end her fun.

"Right, Sweetheart; homework time!"

"Can I do it at home, Daddy?" Corin pouted with her adorable little puppy eyes.

"Nope. You have the entire weekend to play with Zucko - homework time." She had me wrapped around her little finger, but not when it came to school work.

For the next hour I helped Corin on her English and Science, Noah fed the dogs, and then we all settled into the living room to watch Wreck-It-Ralph - their choice, not mine. Once the lessons were over with, and everything had been put away for the night, Bella joined us in the room. She collapsed onto the couch next to me and rested her head onto my shoulder, drained from the day's events.

"Momma!" Noah ran and launched himself onto his mother; landing onto her lap before she was ready to receive him.

"Ooph! You're getting big, baby boy."

"I know, 'cause Inky says I'm the man of the house now!"

We continued watching the rest of the movie in peace, and both Bella and Corin struggled to stay awake until the end. When Noah mentioned that his 'stomach is empty', Bella pushed herself up from the seat, let out a tired yawn, and followed her son into the kitchen on his search for food. I felt awful leaving them, but I also had to take a child home.

"Edward," Bella poked her head around the wall. "Do you want to stay for dinner?"

Before I could even respond, Corin had done it for me. "Yes! Please can we stay, Daddy? Please?"

Now, how could I say no to that?

Bella made a simple chicken and vegetable dish and as she cooked that, I bathed Noah and helped him dress into his Monsters Inc onesie. Corin was pleased to inform me that she helped with dinner by stirring the cream sauce. It genuinely felt like a little family, and nothing had ever felt better. Dinner was, of course, incredible, and Noah spent majority of the time telling wild stories about school and all the fun adventures that he and his friends got up to during recess.

Once it was over with, Corin ran upstairs with Noah, so I chose that spare time to help Bella with the dishes - she washed, I dried.

"You okay?" I rubbed her shoulders tenderly.

"Today has been tiring, but I'm okay."

I gave up on the dishes in order to give Bella my full attention. "Is there anything that I can do?"

"Be there for me?"

With one hand I stroked her flushed cheek, and I couldn't help but place two delicate kisses onto her lips - they were far too enticing not to. "I'll always be here for you, and Noah. I know things haven't been easy, but they will get better, and I'll do whatever I can to make it easier."

Tears brimmed her eyes and she allowed them to fall despite Mike always telling her that crying was a weakness. She looked adorable when she cried. "I don't know what I would do without you. You and Corin are so important to me now."

It meant everything to me that she adored my child as much as I adored hers, and because of that I kissed her again. This time with a bit more pressure than the last. "You won't need to find out. We're here to stay."

I thought we were alone. I thought no-one could see our affection. That was until we heard the adorable little giggles from our children.

Busted.

0-0

Not a lot happened in this chapter because I just wanted to get myself back into the story and into the characters.

I'm really nervous about posting this, so please let me know what you thought and whether you're happy to see Noah and Inky again?