THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! To those of you who reviewed. And to those of you who read the story. I was curious as to what you guys do when you like a fanfic. Not just mine but anyone's. There is a poll up on my profile, so go vote! After you read this, of course.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT!! And Edward is in love with Bella… not me! –sniffles-
Bella POV:
When I woke up in the morning I was surprised that it was the actual alarm clock that woke me up. It hadn't had a chance to go off since Rora learned how to walk. And it was set for 10:00 on Saturdays, she woke me up at 6:45 everyday. I was worried. Was she OK? I jumped out of bed and ran to my angel's room. She was still asleep, she had a pulse and she was breathing. Thank God. I needed to get her that new treatment as soon as possible, I was going to call her doctor and tell him. And tomorrow she was going to get those tests results back. But, for now I was going to let her sleep.
Then I remembered Edward was coming over today. Crap! I forgot ask what time he was coming over! I'll call, I decided. So I went into the kitchen and dialed the number on the fridge under the magnet Rora had made me in one of her art classes while she still went to preschool. I had had to pull her out when she got sick, the doctor said she shouldn't over exert herself and with her immune system being so low she wouldn't make it if she caught a bug from one of her classmates. It was a pink heart with her handprint imbedded in the clay. It was one of the many trinkets that I had around the house, and they were more precious than any designer decorations. I dialed the number and he picked up on the second ring, like yesterday. "Bella," it was a statement, he knew it was me. Did I seem that desperate? Did he have my number saved on his phone? No, I hadn't given it to him. But, wait, I called yesterday, did he save it then? Was he not expecting any other calls today? No, he hadn't been expecting my call, had he? Oh, well. "Edward."
"I've been expecting you to call."
"You have?"
"Yes, you didn't specify a time for me to come over, I figured you call when you woke up, and if you hadn't called me by 12:00 I would have called you."
"You don't have my number."
"You called yesterday, remember."
"Right."
"So, when do you want me over?"
"How about 10:30?"
"10:30. Sounds good."
"See, you then."
"See you then," he hung up. I would have to hang up first next time.
I went and got in the shower. I turned on the steam on shampooed my hair. Strawberry, my favorite shampoo. Mixed with the hot water and the steam it was extremely calming. I slid down to the floor of the huge steam shower and put my head in my hands. God, what am I going to do. My baby girl was dying. She was going to be taken away from me. I was going to lose her. I gasped in pain as these thoughts assaulted me, and the tears ran down my cheeks. No. She was going to get better. She had to get better. I couldn't lose her, I just, I couldn't. She was my baby, my angel. She'd grown inside of me, I'd given birth to her, I'd raised her, watched her learn how to sit up and crawl and walk and talk. My baby meant the world to me. I'd die for my baby. Why couldn't I be the sick one, and she the healthy one? Why did she have to suffer? She hadn't done anything wrong! She was an innocent little girl! How was it fair?! I started sobbing then. I turned the water off and got out, knowing Edward would be here soon. I got dressed, comfy but cute.
I checked on the girls, Antoinette was standing in her crib. I knew it was only a matter of time until she was walking, for now she had to crawl. "Come here, baby," I picked her up and she smiled at me. I couldn't help but smile back. We walked into the kitchen her muttering nonsense baby words the whole time. Although she couldn't yet talk she was more advanced in her speaking than Aurora was at her age. I had asked her pediatrician about and she had just said she was really smart. I put her in her high chair that was sitting next to the granite counter top. I pulled out a bowl and started on the waffle batter, which I got from my mother, who got it from her mother, and so on. It was special because it was specifically waffle batter. I tried making pancakes with it once like you would with normal batter and it tasted like crap. That's when I realized that waffles must be in our genes, my mom and I call it the waffle gene. I heard Rora get up right as I pulled the waffles out of the waffle maker, this was new, not antique. I'd discovered modern waffle makers were just easier, from an…incident…and new ones were just better. Rora walked in looking so exhausted it startled me, I almost dropped the plate I was holding. I hid the emotion on my face as she looked up at me, I didn't want her to know how hopeless I was.
Rora ate her waffles in silence, and I was feeding Antoinette strawberry baby food. It was her favorite. Rora only ate about half of her food, which wasn't a lot. She just looked so tired. She needed to rest. So it was good I had nothing planned for today. Apparently, she had other things in mind, though, "Mommy?" she said sweetly, batting her beautiful eyes at me. " Yes, sweetheart?" I asked warily.
"Can we go swimming?" her eyes turned pleading. I laughed, even when she was this tired she wanted to go out. "No, sweetie, it's cold outside. Besides, you need your rest."
"But, I'm not tired." She wined, which was just another sign that she was, in fact, tired.
"No, Aurora. Today we're going to stay home, okay. Mommy will make you hot chocolate and you can watch a movie," I smiled at her as she pouted.
"Why?" her mouth in an uncharacteristic frown.
"One, it's cold. Two, you're tired," she opened her mouth to protest but I put my finger to her little lips. "And three, mommy has a friend coming over today." Her face brightened.
"Really?! Who?! Angela?!" she loved Angela, she was her godmother.
"No, he's never been here before." Which was a lie, but it was true as far as she was concerned. Her face fell slightly, but she perked right back up again. "What's his name?!"
"Edward, the man who saved you yesterday."
"Oooh. Can I say thank you to him?"
"Of course you can, baby." She nodded and ran into the living room.
I cleaned up the aftermath of our breakfast. When I was done with that I took Antoinette from her highchair and went into the front room. Aurora was sitting on the couch with her blankie watching cartoons. I sat down next to her and pulled her into my lap along with her sister. When Antoinette was born I was worried how Aurora would be with her, but my worries were unnecessary. She was a wonderful big sister. We sat like that for about five minutes when someone knocked on the door. I knew it was Edward, and so did Rora. She jumped up and ran to the door. She was too short to reach the latch at the top of the door, so when unlocked it wouldn't open all the way. I heard Edward chuckle. "MOMMY! IT WON'T OPEN!"
"Aurora, calm down. Mommy will open it for you."
"OK, fine." She pouted as I undid the latch and opened the door. Edward stood there with the most amazing smile on his face as he looked at my daughter. The compassion his eyes surprised and confused me. It was more than compassion. It was love. It was as if that was his daughter that ran to the door when he got home from work, to eager to see her father to wait for her mother to get it. As he picked her up and through her in the air, and I saw the love in his eyes, I realized something that shook me to my very core. I was in love with him. How?! I've only known him for a day! But all thoughts of the impossibility of my love for him were forgotten as I saw a vision of him coming home from work, Rora running to the door to see him that much sooner, him walking into the kitchen as I made dinner for our family, being taken into his arms and feelings his lips on mine, curling into his chest as the four of us watched a movie, the girls calling him daddy- something they had never called Jake, I even saw another baby- mine and Edward's baby, one that was biologically his, even as he loved my girls as his own. And in that moment it didn't matter if I'd only known him for a day, I wanted my vision to come true more than anything in the world, I loved him, and I wanted him, forever.
Edward POV:
I left the house at around 10:12. I drove fast, well normal for me, but according to traffic law I was speeding. I got there 5 min. late on purpose, not wanting to seem to desperate to see her, I was positive she didn't feel the same way, not right now, at least. I mean, what kind of idiot falls in love after only knowing someone one day. When I knocked on the door I heard a delighted squeal and the sound of small, running footsteps. I laughed as Aurora tried to open the door, but the latch at the top was still locked and she couldn't reach it, "MOMMY! IT WON'T OPEN!"
"Aurora, calm down. Mommy will open it for you," Love saturated my angel's voice as she spoke to her baby girl. How I longed for her to be our baby girl. For her to be my daughter, too. To have her run to the door everyday wanting to see me. Bella must have told her I was coming, but, of course, I couldn't read their minds to know for sure. "OK, fine," Aurora pouted and I laughed again. When Bella finally opened the door Aurora ran into my leg. I picked her up and threw her up into the air, she squealed happily when I caught her again. I didn't put her down, I just held her to my side and she smiled. When I looked at Bella I was shocked to see something I thought for sure I wouldn't, at least, not now. There was love in her eyes. And maybe it was wishful thinking, but I could've sworn that the love was directed at me. Did she feel the same way? Did she want me the way I wanted her? It didn't seem possible. But, then again, I didn't think it was possible for me to fall in love with someone, let alone in one day. And the fact she wasn't scared of me at all still baffled me. But, I wasn't complaining, well, kind of, I wanted her to be safe, but I didn't want to be away from her. But, with the danger magnets her and her daughter seemed to be, it might take my constant presence to keep her safe. I loved her, wanted to be with her, more than anything, and I wanted to be the father of the little girl in my arms and the one in Bella's. I imagined us a family, Bella as my wife, those little girls calling me daddy. And I knew, as I knew yesterday, that I wouldn't, couldn't, walk away. I looked at her eyes again and it was clear, there was love there, and it was directed at me. I looked right back at her allowing my eyes to speak for me, then I saw the shock in her eyes as she saw the love pouring out of mine. "Can we go inside now?" exasperation in Rora's voice. I laughed and reluctantly broke the stare between Bella and I. "Yes, sweetie we can," Bella replied as she laughed along with me. "What's so funny?!" pouted the angel in my arms. That only made us laugh harder. "Fine, put me down!" she yelled. I put her down and she stomped off to the couch. "Sorry, about that," Bella smiled sheepishly. "No problem," I smiled back at her. "So, do you want to come in, or stand out there in the hallway?" she laughed. "I think I'll come in," I said as she laughed again. She had the most beautiful laugh.
I helped her chase after the girls all day. Antoinette kept trying to walk and when she'd fall she'd get right back up again, after about the 20th time, though, she got really frustrated and she decided that she'd just crawl, to hell with walking. And, boy, was Rora a handful. I've never met a more rambunctious girl in my life, and I'm over 100 years old. She tired out really quickly, though, and I noticed the worry in Bella's eyes when Rora fell asleep at 4:00. After both the girls were put down for their naps, Antoinette fell asleep around 5:30, Bella started on dinner.
She started on the spaghetti sauce, then right before that was done she boiled the noodles. I offered to help, but she reminded me that I was a guest and she refused, and let me tell you she is just as stubborn as she is beautiful. I was going to have to eat the spaghetti, I didn't have the excuse I had in the morning about breakfast, the one where I already ate, because I'd been here all day and I hadn't eaten a single thing, plus, I didn't want to be rude. When she was done she went to wake up the girls, Antoinette was standing in her crib waiting for her mother. Rora was still asleep and I could tell this worried Bella even more. All this stress wasn't good for her. I would have to have Jasper do something about that. She woke up Rora, put Antoinette in the highchair, and served dinner. "Crap!" said Bella out of nowhere. "What is it?" I asked slightly alarmed looking up. "I'm out of strawberry baby food." She sighed. I was confused, and she could tell. "She won't eat anything else," she frowned at me. " I supposes I could give her the banana," now she was frowning to no one in particular. "I'll go pick some up," I wanted to help, and it would get me out of eating the spaghetti.
"What! Don't be ridiculous! She can manage one day without strawberry flavored baby food."
"Bella, really-"
"Edward, stop, I'm not going to make you go to the store to get Antoinette baby food when she has some here."
"But you just said she wouldn't eat it." smugly, sure I had just one this argument.
"Edward, she'll eat it, it just won't be pretty," she frowned to herself again.
"Bella, I'll –"
"No, Edward," her tone left no room for argument, I guessed she'd had a lot of practice with Rora. I had gotten up already to go get baby food, and I sat back down in defeat. She smiled smugly and Rora looked at me as if I was a complete idiot for losing, she shook her head at me as if in pity. "What?"
"You approached that all wrong. But, then, I doubt you could have done it anyway," she went back to her spaghetti.
"And why is that," I asked in amusement and exasperation.
"Because, she's not wrapped your finger, like she is mine," she said smugly. "Aurora Rose, watch your mouth," Bella scolded her daughter, trying to hide her amusement as she went searching in the cabinet again. I leaned closer to Aurora and whispered, " Yet." She giggled and whispered back, "You're almost there, I can tell."
"What are you two whispering about?" asked Bella as she sat down with a jar of sweet yam baby food. "Nothing," both Rora and I said, then we laughed. Bella looked at us suspiciously, though I could see the amusement deep in her eyes. I smiled at her, and she smiled back and turned to Antoinette to begin the fight. I never dreamed feeding an infant would be so horrific, by the time we were done- and I say we because I'd had to help- there was yams everywhere. That included Bella, Me, Rora, the table, the highchair, the floor, and the messiest thing of all was Antoinette herself. Her face was plastered in orange mush, I can only imagine what I looked like, but, if I looked anything like the three angels before me, I would have yams in my hair for a month. Lucky for me, everyone was so occupied by getting Antoinette to eat that Bella didn't question, or it would appear even think about- I don't know for sure, I can't read her mind- my full plate of food.
She went to give Antoinette a bath. When she was done she gave her a bottle and put her to bed- I'm guessing that it was ok for her to eat again because most of her food ended up on us, anyway. Then she gave Rora a bath and put her to bed, it didn't take as long as it did to get Antoinette to fall asleep, she was already exhausted. Bella stood in the doorway watching Rora sleep. "She's going to make it, Bella."
"I hope you're right," I could hear the tears in her voice. I took her head in my hands and brushed away the tears with my fingertips. "Bella, I promise you, she's going to be fine."
"You can't promise me that," she whispered. But I could, if I was willing to do that to Rora, but that was only a last resort. If the doctors couldn't help her. I would have to, I just couldn't let her die. It would kill me to do it, it could even kill her…NO! The doctor's going to fix this, she's going to get better. But, if she didn't, I'd have to do it. But, that would mean changing Bella, and Antoinette, eventually. Could I do that to them? Could I take their souls away like that? It didn't seem fair. Angels shouldn't be damned like that. I was still undecided when I heard Bella start sobbing. I took her into my arms and carried her downstairs to sit on the couch. She cried into my shoulder, and again her pain broke my heart. " Bella, shh, it going to be OK. Shh, it'll be alright," I held her head to my chest and rubbed small circles on her back. "It's not fair!" she sobbed into my shirt, "She didn't do anything!". "I know, Bella, I know," and if I could cry, I would be. She calmed down a bit and sat up sitting in my lap. "She didn't do anything, Edward. She's an innocent little girl. She didn't do anything! Why?! Why, does she have to suffer?! Why does she have to taken away from me?!" she started sobbing again. " Bella, Bella, look at me! She's not going anywhere! Do you understand me?! She's staying right here!" she continued to sob, I pulled her close and held her as tight as I dared to without killing her. I tried again, "Bella, she's not going to be taken away from us. She's staying right here," I whispered in her ear. She looked up at me, "Us?". "Yes, Bella, us," I took her face in my hands and, slowly pressed my lips to hers. It was pure bliss, feeling her warm lips on my cold ones, to feel them moving with mine, to know she felt the same way. The kiss was short, but, so, so sweet. When I finally pulled away and opened my eyes she was looking at me with pure love in her eyes. "I've been waiting for you to that all day." She smiled the most radiant smile I'd ever seen, and I smiled back, and I probably looked like a total idiot. I pressed my lips to hers again, soft and sweet, then I pulled away and rested my forehead against hers, "I love you, Bella."
"I love you, too, Edward."
A/N: I LOVE IT!! Sorry, that sounds kind of conceited. REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! I NEED IT!! And, unfortunately, I have to go to my grandma's house till Saturday, and I won't be able to update till I go back to my mom's house (if you're wondering my parents are divorced). So I tried to give you guys a long chapter. It's not as long as I had hoped, but, it is the longest chapter so far. So, YAY!! You guys are AWESOME!!