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.

Quil never claimed to know a lot about kids.

He was an only child, and he never did the babysitting thing growing up. Regardless, he always seemed to be good with them. Maybe it was because of his nature. The pack always told him he was a ten-year-old stuck in a twenty-five year old's body...even though Quil was actually twenty-two and always had a feeling it wasn't exactly an observation of endearment.

Still, Quil never claimed to know a lot about kids.

He claimed to know even less about little girls.

And the fact was only reinforced as he stood in the middle of the Port Angeles party store two days before a certain little girl's third birthday.

"Seriously though, dude...fairies or princesses?"

Paul gaped at him, both eyebrows raised and a dumbfounded look on his face.

"How the fuck am I supposed to know, man? Do I look like I'm fluent in the art of kids?" Uncrossing his arms from in front of his chest, he pointed at the package of fairy napkins Quil held in his left hand. "Case and point...you showed me those and I couldn't help but think that Tinkerbell has a nice rack."

Quil groaned. "You are a fucking neanderthal."

Paul gave him a saccharine grin. "Hey, you asked me to come along. The only reason I did was because Rachel's ten kinds of PMSing today."

"Glad I could help," Quil muttered, dropping his arms to his sides and turning back to the party supplies lining one of the back walls of the store. He was starting to regret the idea. He and Emily had put their very different heads together to plan a birthday party for Maddie. Bella was clued in and even Quil was a little surprised how easily she let them run with it.

Still, he didn't blame her. It was only October. Eight months had passed but it was still hard enough thinking about it, remembering Maddie's birthday was only one of many firsts they all had to face as an after…

But Quil was determined. And when he was determined, there was really no stopping him.

Still, that determination was wavering as he stared blankly at the seventeen shades of pink and big-busted fairies staring him directly in the face.

"Seriously though, dude," he said again. "How many shades of pink can there be? What is the difference between this Disney princess and this one?" Quil snatched a packaged tablecloth off the rack. "They're all the same...wicked stepmothers, knights in shining armor, happily ever afters. I get it, even though I clearly don't."

"That's Pocahontas, man," Paul deadpanned, nodding at the tablecloth. "Not the same thing. Kind of ashamed to know you right now."

Quil rolled his eyes, glancing at the tablecloth and realizing Paul was right. "I know who Pocahontas is, but do you get what I'm saying? How am I supposed to know what Maddie wants?"

Paul sighed, rolling his eyes almost to the back of his head. "Dude...she's three years old. My guess is she likes all kinds of pink and all the Disney princesses and it won't matter what the fuck kind of napkins and tablecloths you get. All she's gonna care about is the cake and the presents."

Quil groaned again, silently calling Paul all kinds of names for being the least helpful person he could have brought along on this trip.

"Okay, if you're done with me, I'm gonna run across to the street to the hardware store."

"Yeah, yeah," Quil waved Paul off with a frown, still contemplating the multiple packages he held in his hands but nowhere closer to making a decision.

Regardless of what Paul said, he wanted it to be right. It had been a tough eight months for the little girl, to say the least, and Quil wanted it to be special. He'd talked her birthday up on every ice cream date and every playground trip until it was all she could talk about in her short, punctuated sentences.

It didn't take much for Quil to realize he'd probably done this to himself.

Still, he wanted it to be perfect.

However, Paul brought him out of his thoughts, one big, meaty hand clapping Quil on the shoulder on his way by.

"But if it helps…" he muttered. "Embry told me once she really likes the Little Mermaid."

.

Quil really hated it when Paul was right.

He bought the party store out of every single piece of Little Mermaid party paraphernalia they had. Cups, plates, napkins, tablecloths, fucking streamers - he bought them all. He even called the grocery store bakery back in Forks and almost passed out with gratitude when they told him it wasn't too late to change the custom frosting on the birthday cake Emily ordered.

It would be perfect.

And it was...at least in the beginning. The moment Maddie and Bella walked into the party, the little girl's face lit up like a damn Christmas tree. She abandoned her mother, bouncing from place to place, climbing up on a chair before she picked up a plate and displayed it proudly for Bella.

"Look, Mommy! Ariel!"

Quil threw his hands up, conceding to Paul as he smirked at him from the other side of the kitchen.

That was the first time Paul was right, and for a moment, Quil thought all the unnecessary agony he put himself through had paid off in a big way.

The second time Paul was right came about fifteen minutes after.

The Little Mermaid plates were forgotten when Emily brought out the cake. Quil stood at the end of the table, watching everyone dig into their pieces, a part of him still waiting for the reaction of the elaborate frosting decoration he had put on the cake. For Maddie's face to light up again at the pink sprinkles he had the bakery lady throw on their for good measure.

It never came, and Maddie was too busy destroying the huge piece of cake she had on her plate.

And for a moment, Quil thought maybe he hadn't tried hard enough. That maybe the sprinkles had been wrong. That maybe he should have went with candy pieces instead. That maybe Belle from Beauty and the Beast would have been a bigger hit...

That maybe he screwed it up…

Quil was on the cusp of deeming his efforts a failure when Maddie hopped down from the stool after washing her hands in the kitchen sink. When small legs carried her across the kitchen, her grin zeroed in on her uncle as she ran directly to him.

As he bent and effortlessly lifted her into his arms, just before she threw her small arms around his neck, planting a wet, sticky kiss directly on his cheek.

A simple, genuine gesture that - sprinkles or no sprinkles, wrong princess or not - let Quil know that no matter what he did, every bit of it was worth it to her.

And what also made it worth it was how Bella hesitated before they left. That despite the traces of residual sadness he could still see lingering in her eyes, she gave him the most genuine smile he'd seen in months.

Mouthing the words thank you before they walked out the door.

Oh, Quil. A little comic relief for you guys...hopefully. ;)

Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter! Will reach out to you very soon!

Thoughts?