Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable characters. Copyright infringement not intended.

Author's Note: Hey guys. Well here's your update for this week. I do have the next chapter done and so there will be a teaser on my blog. We are heading out of town for my son's birthday next weekend, so I'm not sure how the next update will go. It will either go up early or after we get back, depending on the time I have available. I have the chapter ready, so I will either post before I leave or once I return. Either way, I will get it to you as close to post date as I can depending on how things go. Lots to do between now and then!

Thanks as always to my beta AgoodWITCH. You guys may be slightly disappointed with this chapter, but I promise next chapter will make everyone happy!!!


Birthday Party

Every day I found myself watching the door, hoping Edward would walk through it. Cherie's first birthday was quickly approaching and I kept praying he would make it in time. We got a few phone calls from Edward in the weeks that followed. Edward was in a cast and doing quite well. Within a few days, the doctors had managed to rehydrate him, get him fed and healthy again, and fix his leg. I cringed for him as he told me that they had to re-break his leg in order to set it correctly before the put him in a cast that covered his leg all the way up to his hip. Apparently, Jasper and Emmett visited him every day, teasing him by calling him Hopalong Cassidy and goading him about his lazy slacker tendencies buying him a trip home. Of course, they didn't mean any of it. They didn't resent his chance to go home a bit; they simply wished they could go back to their girls too.

According to the doctors, Edward could have come home the first week in January, but the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium was taking up far too many resources to bother sending any planes stateside, much less one carrying wounded soldiers who were perfectly safe on British soil. Thus being so, while Edward had a free pass home and was physically capable of doing so, we were still being deprived our long awaited reunion. It was frustrating, but at least he was safe.

We wished we could say the same for Emmett and Jasper who were flying off on a daily basis to provide air support for raids into German airspace to take out strategic production sites, as well as flying support for the bombers hitting the Panzer lines in Belgium. We didn't want them to be hurt, but we were definitely all praying for a quick ticket home for them as well.

January marched by in yet another slow process, the 28th day of the month looming before us all, nearly mocking us with the sheer irony. Edward could be here…he SHOULD be here, but once again, Hitler had to get in the way. I swear it was enough to make me want to climb into the cockpit of a plane and fly to wherever he was hiding away in Germany and personally shoot his sadistic head off.

In the meantime, Cherie was getting much braver about walking without assistance. She would often pause and brace her hands on the floor when she needed a break or felt like she was losing her balance, but then she would stand right back up and keep moving forward. As the weeks have passed, the number of pauses has decreased dramatically. It was still astounding to me how quickly she was growing and it was happening before my very eyes.

My heart pounded anxiously in my chest the morning of January 26th when the radio announcer read the news, informing us all that the Allies had won the Battle of the Bulge, pushing Hitler's army into a hasty retreat. I swallowed hard with the hope that the news carried with it the speedy expedition of Edward's return home.

The hope quickly began to fade when the next morning we still did not see Edward or hear from him. The same was true when the sun rose the morning of the 28th. In all actuality, the moment of her birth came and left while we slept quietly through the first hours of the day. The anxiety and excitement for the day resulted in my waking before Cherie that morning, so I tiptoed down the stairs and settled at the large window that faced the lake with a cup of coffee in my hands. It was bitter without any sweetener, which we had hoarded in order to make Cherie's cake for the party later that afternoon.

The sugar rationing had hit an all time high, and we got so little each month that we scrimped for several months on both sugar and flour based foods so that we would have plenty to make her birthday cake. In addition to the cake, I had managed to make a few connections through Sue to find some craftsmen to help me get some great presents lined up for Cherie in spite of all the rationing, which had even cut into our yearly allowances of shoes and stockings. The economic situation on the homefront were still difficult for many who did not have job skills specifically related to the war effort.

Through Sue's network of friends, I found a woodworker barely getting by whom I had commissioned to make a wooden rocking horse for Cherie, along with some puzzles and alphabet blocks. In addition, Sue had also found a talented seamstress who was always looking for additional money to help support her family while her husband fought overseas. With a little bartering, I managed to find some great wool and fleece which I then hired her to turn into a coat and some dresses for Cherie. Esme had even managed to find some adorable appliqués to be added to the orders. I couldn't wait to see her in her new clothes and when she saw her new toys, which were currently in hiding at Grammy and Grampa's.

I drank the last of my coffee in peace as the sun slowly lit the world outside the windows. Moments later, I heard the cries of my baby girl drifting down the stairwell from her room on the second floor. I smiled as I sat down the cup and quietly rushed up to her room. I swept in with a bright smile, bounding to her side and sweeping her into my arms.

"Happy Birthday, Sweet Cherie! You are one year old today! Do you think this will be a good day? Well, I do!"

She giggled as I spun her around before laying her on top of the changing area we set up on top of the dresser. I carefully dressed her for the day in the pretty pink party dress that Alice had made for her a few weeks before. Alice was running non-stop, so I could scarcely imagine when she found the time to make it for her, but it was beautiful none the less. I combed her hair carefully, pulling the sides up and affixing it with a pretty pink ribbon tied into a bow. On her feet I put the small shiny Mary Jane's that I had also bartered with a neighbor for. When I was done, I stood her up and smiled tearfully at how adorably perfect she looked.

I carried her downstairs, sitting her in her high chair and tying a towel around her neck to keep her pretty dress clean before giving her the oatmeal with bananas she had grown to love. Before she was done, we were joined by Rose and Alice who had taken the day off to celebrate with us.

All day long, I kept casting longing looks at the front door, but Edward never appeared. Eleven o'clock quickly arrived, bringing Esme and Carlisle loaded down with presents, Sue walking in right behind them with her family carrying the large chocolate cake she had prepared for our little girl.

We started off by sharing a large lunch before we put up streamers and balloons to decorate. Cherie stared in amazement at the colors and shapes as we worked, giggling and clapping occasionally when someone would put up something new. By one o'clock, the rest of the guests began to arrive. The first floor quickly became crowded as the pack boys who had kept us safe tumbled in, along with Marcus and his fiancée Sophie and a few others from work who adored little Cherie.

The Cullen charm poured out of Cherie as she toddled around to greet and smile at all of her guests, pointing to the prettily wrapped presents that they all had brought with them. We started with the cake, lighting a single candle and allowing her to blow it out. Several cameras and the moving picture camera caught everything, including the moment two seconds later when Cherie's eyes grew devious seconds before pushing both of her tiny hands into the middle of the cake and grabbing out two fistfuls of yummy chocolate goodness and bringing them to her mouth. Everyone laughed as we pulled the cake out of her reach and did our best to cut slices around her claimed territory to share with the rest of the guests.

By the time we were done with the cake, Cherie was a mess with chocolate smeared across her mouth, cheeks, and even her forehead. We washed her quickly before bringing her to the living room where the pile of gifts awaited her opening. The guests crowded around her as she opened the gifts one at a time with my help. With the rationing and tough times, I felt bad that anybody went through the trouble and expense of providing gifts of Cherie, but I knew they all loved her and just wanted to share that love with her.

Cherie opened the presents one at a time, beginning with the box from the pack boys where a tiny bracelet waited her with several tiny carved wooden charms hung from the small chain. I placed it around her wrist as she tugged at it excitedly. Sam proudly told us that they had more lengths of chain to lengthen the bracelet later as she grew. I thanked him profusely for such a thoughtful and time consuming gift.

Next Sue gave her an adorable doll that she had sewn herself with thick hair made of yarn that was extremely close to Cherie's own hair color and painted on green eyes. Upon the baby was a dress that I recognized as one of Cherie's when she was a newborn. Tears welled in my eyes as I thanked her while Cherie hugged the doll close squealing "Ree" which is what she called herself. Even the tiny little girl recognized this doll as being a representation of herself.

And so it continued around the room, one person after the other giving my little girl the most thoughtful gifts I could ever imagine. Once the rest of the gifts were opened, Carlisle brought in the packages from me. Cherie's eyes got as large as saucers when I tugged the Red wool coat with the black fuzzy trim. Three large back buttons held the front closed while two black lace appliqué Scotty Dogs with black lace leashes adored the front left flap along the bottom hem. As she took in the coat, she pointed to the dogs and let out a tiny bark with a smile before grabbing the coat and hugging it closely to her chest. Each little dress got similar responses. I was happy she enjoyed her gifts.

The toys were next and each was greeted with a happier squeal than the one before until the final gift was revealed. When Carlisle carried in the rocky horse with the big red bow around its neck, Cherie cheered and clapped her hands, toddling at the closest thing to a run she had done yet to it and trying to climb onto the saddle on her own.

Carlisle chuckled before lifting her onto the seat and bracing her and she beamed and giggled rocking back and forth. She stayed on that horse for the rest of the afternoon as everyone took turns playing with her on it….the pack boys even pretended she was chasing them on it as she rocked away.

The house cleared a few hours later as we worked together to clean up the mess left behind. I smiled thinking of how great the day had gone, but still feeling sad that Edward had missed it all. Cherie's eyes were beginning to droop a little earlier than usual thanks to her not getting her nap in during the day. I had just picked her up and started up the stairs when the phone rang.

I ran to pick up the receiver, smiling when I heard his voice after accepting the reversed international charges. "I was hoping I would make the party today, but it didn't work out. How did everything go?"

"It was great. She loved all of her presents, and dug into the cake the second she blew the candle out. We have lots of video to show you."

Edward sighed. "I'll be glad when I get to see them for myself instead of waiting to watch a film."

I smiled sadly. "I know, sweetheart. Do you want to speak to her? She's right here about to fall asleep in my arms."

"Yes, please," he whispered. I held the handset to my daughter's ear. As soon as she heard his voice, she sat up and smiled. They chatted for a few moments before I took the phone back.

"So where are you?"

He sighed again. "Stuck waiting for the next transport in London. I've been here three days waiting my turn. I'm on the top of the list now, so hopefully it won't be much longer."

"I hope so too. We miss you."

"I miss you too, baby. I promise we will be together very soon."

I held the handset tightly to my ear, knowing we had to end the call now, but not wanting to. With a few more sad goodbyes I finally hung up and carried my sleeping daughter to her room. She barely roused as I stripped her out of her dress before sliding her into her warm pajamas and laying her in her crib. I stood and stared down at her in the moonlight for a long time, stroking her soft hair away from her forehead. The year had gone so quickly and it was time that we would never get back again. I kissed my hand and placed it on her forehead before slowly shuffling out of the room, closing the door behind me.

I went back downstairs to join the girls in the living room. We sat with cups of bitter coffee and chatted for a long while about news we had all received. They were both so worried about Jasper and Emmett as they should be. The situation that occurred with Edward made their anxiety even more acute. After another hour in the room, chatting quietly, we each separated to go to our own rooms for the night.

I tried to go to sleep, but was having trouble so instead I sat up and pulled out the docket for the board meeting coming up in a few days. The first Wednesday of every month, we had our board meetings, which thankfully had gone much more smoothly once the threat of the Volturi brothers had been taken care of for good. Very rarely did we have any negatives to face in our meetings and from the look of the docket prepared for this month; the same would be true once more.

With a pleased smile, I slid the folder closed, shoving it back in my briefcase by the bed, and slid back between the sheets to fall into a quiet sleep. It wouldn't be much longer now. One overseas plane ride, a train trip cross country from New York, or DC, or wherever he was shipped to, and then he would be back in my arms and beside me in our bed. Part of me couldn't help but worry that things might be strange once he was actually back home. We had so little time together before he shipped out. We barely had a chance to get to know one another at all, and now we were going to have to learn again. I didn't doubt our love for one another, but I couldn't help but worry that living together might not be as easy as we believed.

I sighed, doing my best to push my worries away and finally found my rest while dreaming of Edward boarding a large plane, two wooden crutches supporting his weight as he shuffled up a long ramp and into the belly of the beast that would bring him back across the Atlantic. I prayed he would arrive safely before curling up with his pillow once more.