Merry early Christmas, again. :) Here's my entry for the "Beneath the Mistletoe" contest. Killerlashes is always my beta, so there.

"Good news, babe. I'm coming home for Christmas."

Now

It seemed like it had been so long since she'd heard those words through the shitty speaker on her laptop. As Christmas edged closer, it felt like the days stretched on; like that much anticipated day would never come for her. Now, as she watched his face through the computer screen, she wished she could speed up time, or at least make it so time was moving normally. Not this slow motion bullshit she was feeling.

"You look tired," he said quietly, and she yawned in response, making him chuckle. As mad as she could have been at his comment, all Leah could really do was agree with him. She was tired.

"Being me is exhausting," she replied with a smirk. "Also, being a human incubator is hard." She rested a hand on top of her stomach, the skin taut with the growth of their child.

Edward smiled, misty-eyed in the grainy resolution of the small screen, and reached out as though he could touch her. He pulled his hand back and rubbed it over his face instead. She wished for his touch so much. Just to feel his arms around her, to have his hands on her skin and to feel the movement of their baby. He'd missed so much

"You look tired," his wife commented and he nodded.

"I miss you," he whispered with his head bowed so she could hardly hear him.

Leah's smirk softened as she leaned forward, closer to the camera. "Me too."

He lifted his head and they watched each other for a moment, hearing each other's quiet breaths through the speakers.

"I'll be home soon," Edward finally spoke, and Leah nodded as tears filled her eyes.

"I know. I know you will." She wiped her face with her hands, not even caring about how her emotions had clearly gotten the best of her.

"I've got to go, there are people waiting. I love you. Tell the kid I love it," he said with a rueful smile. It had been a mutual decision to not find out the sex of the baby since he was overseas, even though Edward wouldn't have really minded if she'd found out. But he also liked the face she made when he called their child "it".

"It loves you, and so do I," she replied, managing to keep her eye-roll to a minimum. "See you soon," she said softly, just as the screen went black.

Leah leaned back in the chair as she brushed her tears away, before looking around her father-in-law's office. She smiled as she picked up the picture of Edward with his brother and sister, their faces lit up with wide, matching smiles.

Leah had known Edward and his family nearly all her life. Their fathers were fishing buddies; they hung out at barbecues and school functions, but didn't start dating until their senior year. After graduation, Edward joined the Air Force and Leah applied to nursing school.

Then

"The Air Force? Seriously, Edward?" Leah scoffed and immediately wished she could take it back after seeing the wounded look on Edward's face.

"It's what I've always wanted to do, Leah. I want to be a pilot. I want to help people. This is my opportunity to do both," he replied with his gaze on his hands. "I mean, dad's a doctor, Emmett's good at football, and I...I want to do this."

Leah was silent for a long moment, thinking about how she should approach the subject of what was really on her mind. It wasn't the fact that he wanted to do something dangerous; she knew he would be okay. It was them she was worried about.

"I want to do this with you, if you'll let me," Edward said before she could evenget

"You'll come home to me, right?" Leah asked in a whisper.

The room was loud, filled with Edward's friends and family, but he still heard her loud and clear.

"Yeah," he answered with a small, crooked smile. "I mean, probably."

She started to respond with something sarcastic, but couldn't form the words through the lump in her throat. Edward noticed and tightened his arm around her shoulders. They'd been together for almost a year and knew that, even though high school relationships didn't always work out, they still wanted to try.

"I will. I promise," Edward said softly.

It had been over ten years since he promised to come home to her, and he'd never once broken it. Not even through numerous training activities and two deployments. Leah wasn't worried about him coming home, not really. She was more worried about him coming home in time.

"There you are, how's our girl?" Carlisle's voice startled her, making her drop the picture onto his desk with a loud clatter.

"Nervous, apparently." Leah offered him a small smile.

"About anything in particular?" he asked, after perching himself on the side of the desk. Leah shook her head, relaxing under his gaze. Carlisle had always had that effect on her, just like Edward did. "It isn't like you have anything important going on."

Leah gave a quiet snort, but then grew serious.

"I'm scared."

"He'll be home soon," her father-in-law spoke quietly, and gently squeezed her hand. His voice was so much like Edward's, quiet but sure. Leah could only nod and rub her hand over her belly, feeling the the baby move beneath her skin.

"Hopefully soon enough," she said with a soft laugh.

"He will be," Carlisle reassured her with another squeeze of her hand.

Leah's hand shook as she held the piece of plastic in her hand. She wasn't scared or nervous, not really. This was what she wanted- what they wanted. A car door sounded outside and she stood, took a deep breath, and ran out the front door.

"He-" Edward barely got his greeting out before she jumped into his arms, knocking them both down into the grass.

She laughed breathlessly and planted a kiss on his nose.

"Ow," he muttered, "what are you-"

Leah interrupted him again, but with her words this time.

"I'm pregnant."

Edward opened his mouth to speak but was, to Leah's surprise, speechless. Instead he just took her face in his hands and kissed her gently.

"Good," came his quiet reply.

"Oh, hey Leah," Edward's younger sister flitted into the living room where Leah was sitting on the couch, her swollen ankles propped up on pillows by Esme and a cup of tea resting on her belly. Leah glanced up from where she was watching the cup, almost empty, move along with the movements of the baby with a stupid smile on her face. She had meant to get up and wrap Alice up in her arms because she was so much like Edward and it would feel like having him there for a moment, but Alice was not alone.

"Hi, did you just get in?" Leah slipped her feet down and moved her cup, then greeted the girl next to Alice. "Hey, Bella."

"Yeah, Dad just dropped us off. Lucky we got a flight when we did. There's a huge storm heading for the east coast." Alice said before bending down to kiss Leah's cheek and rub hand over her stomach. "How's it doing?"

Leah smiled, Alice was so like Edward. "Still cooking."

"Is Edward coming home?" Bella piped up and Leah fought, and lost, against the frown on her face. Alice and Bella were three years younger than she and Edward, but it seemed like Bella's crush never seemed to waver.

"He'll be here by the end of the week," Alice answered for her. "Hopefully," she added with a smirk.

"Not funny," Leah muttered. "This kid better stay in until its dad gets here."

Alice's eyes widened at the words its and Leah rolled her eyes.

"Don't tell your brother I said that."

"Edward, this is getting weird. Can I put my shirt down, now?"

She watched Edward give a resigned sigh. "Yeah, you're just so cute I can't stand it."

Leah sat down in front of the computer, glaring at her monitor. "No one has ever called me cute in my entire life."

"I just did, deal with with." He grinned and stuck his tongue out at her, and then grew serious. "I just with I was there with you."

"Honey, you're not missing much. I'm just really cranky and gassy, like, all the time."

"Oh, so nothing new, huh?" Edward asked with a wide smile.

"You'll be coming home to a divorce if you keep that up."

"My flight's delayed," he sighed into the phone.

Leah closed her eyes. "It's two days before Christmas."

"I promised I'd make it. I will."

"Okay."

–

It was the pain that woke up her up early Christmas Eve. Esme was already awake, prepping in the kitchen for the day's festivities.

"Oh, I didn't wake you, did I?" Esme turned, smiling. When Leah shook her head her mother-in-law's face changed. "No, I didn't wake you."

"I tried to call Edward..." Leah trailed off, looking at her phone with a blank expression.

"Okay. We'll keep trying. In the meantime let's get you dressed." Esme's voice was calm as she ushered Leah back upstairs. She dressed quickly and made her way back downstairs where her in-laws were waiting. Before she knew it, Carlisle and Esme were whisking her to the hospital, her phone still tightly clutched in her hand.

"What if you're not here? What if you get deployed?" Leah asked into the darkness of their bedroom. She felt Edward roll over.

"I don't know, babe. Our parents will be there."

"Edward, my parents are traveling the country in an RV and yours are miles away."

"You could stay with them. Take your leave early..." he said as he pulled her closer.

"But what if you're not there?" she asked quietly.

Her husband sighed and kissed her head. "I'll be there."

"He's not going to make it, is he?" Leah sighed. Carlisle and Esme exchanged looks.

"We haven't been able to get a hold of him, sweetie," Esme answered.

Carlisle smiled reassuringly. "We won't stop trying."

Leah just closed her eyes and laid her head back, letting the sound of the machines around her soothe her.

"I'm sorry we've spoiled Christmas," she joked lamely.

Her in-laws laughed.

"I think you'll give us the best present of all," Esme whispered.

–

"No, I can't. I don't want to do it without Edward!" Leah's voice was defiant, but her body had other plans.

"Sweetheart, I know you don't, but my grandchild has other plans," Esme said lightly, and tried to hide the laugh in her voice. Carlisle had quickly escaped the delivery room as soon as the doctor entered, but Esme was completely devoted to filling Edward's spot. She squeezed Leah's hand tightly. "You can do this."

Leah took a moment to close her eyes, accepting her defeat. She knew it wasn't Edward's fault, but she couldn't help feeling hurt that he wasn't there in the moment she needed him the most. Her eyes watered behind her lids and when she opened them her vision was blurred.

So blurred that she was absolutely sure the figure in front of her wasn't even real. Or it could have been the drugs, she wasn't sure.

"I see you waited for me." His voice was quiet, thick with emotion, and Leah didn't even try to hold back the tears at finally seeing her husband.

"I hate you so much right now," she whispered, making him laugh.

Edward simply nodded and brushed her hair from her face. "I'm sorry I'm late," he told her before kissing her softly.

She kissing him back, her hands cupping his scruffy face, before pulling back and reveling in the sight of him. He was still dressed in his fatigues; his eyes were tired, but filled with a brightness that only Edward had. A brightness that filled her heart and renewed her spirit.

"Are you ready to do this?" he asked quietly, and she nodded.

"Now that you're finally here," Leah answered.

–

"Well, this is going to make birthdays difficult in the future," Edward joked as he looked down at his son sleeping in his arms.

"A Christmas miracle," Leah teased lightly.

Edward smiled and sat next to her on the small bed, leaning forward to kiss his wife. "Truly," he agreed. "Right, Noah?"

The baby yawned, tiny lips opening and closing, fingers grasping at nothing while his parents looked on in wonder.

"How did you do it anyways?"

Edward hesitated. "I...made some friends in the airport. We rented a car and drove straight through," he said with a shrug.

"And...?"

"And nothing, it was just a bunch of sorority girls trying to get home," he admitted.

"You're such a charmer." Leah rolled her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Hey, I got you, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you got me," she laughed.

"And now we've got this guy. I love this guy," Edward murmured.

"Me too. I'm glad you made it," Leah said quietly against her husband's cheek.

"I told you I would," he replied, turning his face to meet her lips. "Merry Christmas, Mama."

"Merry Christmas, Dad."