The Gift

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyers owns all Twilight and that Characters

Chapter 13 Merry Christmas Eve

BPOV

I woke up the next morning still on the couch and covered up with a blanket. Getting up from the couch I could hear voices coming from the kitchen . Walking into the hallway I was I was able to pinpoint the voices. The first voice that I heard was Charlie, I guess that he never went home last night. The second voice was a female voice that I knew as soon as I heard her speak. What was Esme doing here?

"Esme," I heard Charlie say. I decided to stay in the hallway and listen to what they were saying. "She's scared to death that Edward will take Carly away from her."

"Did you try to explain to her that Carlisle and myself," she started to say before taking a pause. "Charlie you know that we would never allow that to happen to her."

"I did," he said before a sadness tone came to his voice. "I haven't seen her act like this in a long time."

"What do you mean," I heard her ask.

"She was crying and having a horrible time catching her breath," he said with panic starting in his voice. "When she called and told me about her marriage ending. She didn't even shed a tear for that asshole. The last time she was even remotely like this was when."

"When he announced his engagement to Tanya," she said finishing his sentence.

"Morning dad," I said walking into the kitchen and kissing him on the cheek. "I'm sorry about last night."

"Don't worry about it," he said walking towards the hallway. "I'm going to check on Carly and let you two talk."

"Bella," Esme said standing up once Charlie left.

"I'm so sorry," I choked out as she pulled me into a hug.

"It'll be alright," she told me as we stood there. "My son can be a complete ass most of the time."

"I never wanted to hurt him," I said when she let me go.

"I'm surprised that he never figured it out by himself," she said with a smile.

"What," I said shocked.

"I had a feeling that she a Cullen from the very first moment I saw her," she was saying as I stood there staring at her. "She has his green eyes, and a touch of bronze in the highlights of her hair."

"I wanted to tell you," I said taking a deep breath. "I was worried about what you all would think. Mike and his parents never liked her nor wanted her around."

"That's a shame for them," she said with a serious tone before breaking out with a smile. "They are missing out on one very special little girl."

"Does the rest of the family know," I asked.

"Yes," she said and with that I hung my head down low. "He didn't tell us himself. The only person he told was Emmett when he got home. The rest of us were in the kitchen baking and talking about how that two of them act so much alike. It was Rose that spilled the beans about Carly and she didn't mean to."

"Were they all mad as well," I whispered thinking. Thinking about how much they hate me now as well.

"No," she said taking my hand in hers. "They were all so happy to learn that she was a part of our family. They already love her to death before even knowing the truth."

"I need to tell you something else," I told her.

"What is it," she asked with a puzzled look across her face.

"It's has to do with her name," I said taking another deep breath. "Her whole name is Carly Esme Swan."

"Really," she said glowing with joy at this moment.

"Yes," I said with a giggle. "You have always been like a mother to me since Renee left. I wanted part of her name to be after you."

"Thank you," she said hugging me. After she let me go she checked her watch to see what the time was. "You two are coming over for Christmas tomorrow."

"I don't," I started to say. Truth be told I wanted to be there, but I didn't want to be around him. So I couldn't go over to their house for Christmas.

"You are coming," she said sternly. "I would love to see my granddaughter and spend Christmas with the both of you."

"Okay," I said smiling.

"I will see you both tomorrow," she said hugging me and kissing my cheek. "I love you Bella."

"I love you too," I told her as she put her coat on. I walked her to the door and watched as she pulled out of the driveway.

I walked up the stairs to check on Charlie and Carly. It was too quiet and I didn't like that. Opening the door to her bedroom I saw the two of them sitting in the floor.

"Hey," I said getting both of their attention.

"Mommy," Carly said getting up running and jumping into up in my arms. "Merry Christmas Eve."

"Merry Christmas Eve to you too," I said laughing. "Dad why don't you go home. We'll be over soon."

"Okay," he said getting up and walking over to me. "It'll be alright. You've done this on your own for over four years now."

"I know," I said putting her down. "You better tell Pawpaw bye."

I watched her hug his leg and we all laughed. Charlie was right. I had done this on my own for over four years and I continue on. Charlie gave me a quick hug and headed on out of the house. I took Carly by the hand and we walked over towards her dollhouse. We sat there just the two of us and played together in her dollhouse. I needed this time with her to have fun and have a good laugh. It made me forget about the whole Edward situation for the time. After an hour and a half I decided that it was time to get up off the floor and get ready to leave. I kissed the top of her head leaving her in her room to play and I headed to the shower.

Standing underneath the hot water the tears couldn't go undetected any longer. These weren't tears of sadness, but more like tears of relief. I no longer felt this weight on my shoulders. More importantly I was glad that rest of the Cullen's didn't hate me for keeping the secret. When the water turned cold that was my cue to exit the shower and get ready to go. Tying my hair back I walked into Carly's room to get here ready.

"Mommy," she said taking her pj's off. "Is Dward coming with us today?"

"No," I answered her. I didn't know what to say. How do you tell a four year old that someone she won't see someone she has become attached to anymore.

"Is he mad at me," she said in a whisper as I pulled her dress over her head.

"Carly Esme Swan," I said shocked buttoning her dress. "He's not mad at you. He would never be mad at you."

"Why was he yelling at you about me," she asked. Good grief kids and all there questions.

"You listen to me," I said taking her hands in mine. "This was between the two of us. He's mad at me about something but he's not mad at you. You'll see him and everyone else tomorrow."

"Okay," she said smiling.

I finished getting her ready and out the door before she was capable of getting anything on her dress. Then we were off to spend the afternoon and evening in La Push. The drive over was me listening to Charlie talk about how happy she was that Christmas was tomorrow and what all Santa would bring her. Pulling into the driveway I could see that it was going to be a full house. Once we were out of the car, I couldn't help but laugh at Carly as she ran into the house. She really loved coming down here to see everyone.

"Bella," I heard Sue say as soon as I walked into the house. "Could you help me in the kitchen?"

"Sure," I said following her into the kitchen. Walking in I could see all kinds of baked goods sitting all over the kitchen.

"Charlie told me," she said pulling me into a hug when it was just the two of us. "I can have some of the boys take care of him. Of course only if you want them too."

"Sue," I said shocked. I couldn't believe that my stepmother wanted to put a hit out on Edward. "Please don't do that. Plus he'll be the one that misses out not us."

"Why Bella," she said stepping back. "I must say that you are positively right. Can you help me set the table?"

"I would love too," I told her as we were both laughing.

Once the table was set, we all sat down to enjoy this beautiful meal that Sue made. As I looked around the table I saw my extended family that I gained with Charlie's marriage. Jacob sat beside Carly telling her jokes as his very pregnant wife Nessie laughed with them. Paul and Rachel were talking to her and Jacob's father Billy. Billy was holding Rachel's first child and more importantly his first grandchild rocking her in his arms. Then there were my stepbrother and stepsister sitting across from each other. Seth was throwing rolls at Leah trying to cheer her up. I had to admit that I felt sorry for Leah at this time. The one person she loved broke her heart to be with someone else, and it just flat out hurt I should know. Then I finally looked over at Charlie and saw that he was truly happy. Happy to have his family and friends together today.

Once the meal was over we all moved into the living room to open gifts. This went on for an hour and a half with paper and bows all over the place. She got all kinds of art supplies and that was the number one thing that she wanted this year. This was the one thing that she loved more than playing with her dollhouse. After everyone else had left and the kitchen and living room back to normal I knew that it was time for to leave. After loading her and her gifts into the car I turned around to face Charlie.

"I'll be over first thing in the morning," he said hugging me.

"Okay," I told him when he let me go. "I love you dad."

"Love you too Bells," he said as I got in the car. "Be careful."

"Always am," I said shutting the door as we were both laughing.

Carly tried to fall asleep on the way home. I told her that if she went to sleep now then how could she help put out Santa's cookies. That certainly did the trick for her to change her mind about falling asleep in the car. Once we were home and unloaded I got her into the bath and in her Christmas pj's. She was so excited that because Santa would be coming to see her tonight. I was having a difficult time trying to get her settle and calm down.

"Carly," I said as she jumping up and down in the middle of the kitchen floor. "You need to calm down right now young lady. If you don't then you can't go to sleep and Santa won't stop here."

"Sorry mommy," she said as she stopped jumping up and down. "Can I fix Santa's plate now, please."

"Of course," I said laughing. I got the Santa plate out from the back of the cabinet and washed it off. While I did this Carly got the step stool and grabbed the bag of cookies that we had made earlier in the week. "Got the cookies ready."

"Yep," she told me pointing to the bag. I placed the plate in front of her and stood back to let her do it. She arranged all the cookies in the order that she wanted them in. "Perfect!"

"I think your right," I said picking up the plate and walking into the living room. I placed the plate on the end table near the fireplace and stood back.

"Mommy," she said taking my hand. "Could you read to me?"

"Anything for you," I said picking her up.

I carried her up the stairs to her bedroom and tucked her into bed. I picked up "The Night Before Christmas" up off her bookshelf and climbed into the bed beside of her. She snuggled up beside of me as I opened the book and started reading. As I reached the halfway point of the book I looked down at her. She was sound asleep and I smiled looking at sight before me. I leaned over and kissed the top of her head as soon as I was out of her bed. I pulled the blankets up around her, closed her bedroom door, and headed down the stairs.

I went to the living room and was met by the glowing lights from the tree. I stood with the only light from the tree and looked out the window. I took a deep breath and noticed that there was a light snow falling outside.

EPOV

"Can I call you daddy," she whispered.

"Carly," she started to say before taking a deep breath. "Carly is not Mike's daughter. Her biological father is you. Carly is your daughter."

I woke up the next day laying in the middle of my bed with an empty vodka bottle beside of me. I just wanted to numb the pain of a broken heart that I was experiencing. It didn't matter that I drank the night away, yelled at Emmett, or broke a picture frame. I just wanted all of it to go away, but it didn't. I was dreaming about what happened last night. It all started with me putting her to bed and her asking me if she could me daddy. That right there was all that I ever wanted, because there was a part of me that knew I could be a better father than Mike ever was. Then she told me the truth and that Carly was really my daughter. Three-fourths of me was beyond livid with Bella for hiding this, but there was one-fourth of me that was excited that I would be able to hear the word 'daddy' and admit that was me she was calling for. I sat up in the bed with my head spinning and decided that I needed to venture on down to the kitchen for some Aspirin.

"Are you okay," I heard Jasper say as I was about to walk into the kitchen.

"I'm fine," I heard Alice say. "I am over the moon and stars about having a niece."

"I know," Jasper said and with that I walked in.

"Who in the hell told you," I said looking at Alice.

"The almighty Edward makes his appearance at noon," she said in a bitchy tone.

"Answer the damn question," I said getting pissed.

"If you weren't such an asshole." she said crossing her arms. "Then maybe you would have figured it out like the rest of us."

"You don't have a fucking clue," I started to say before getting interrupted.

"Listen here," Jasper said getting in front of Alice. "She may be your sister or not buddy but she is my wife. You will not talk to my wife like that. Do I make myself clear."

"Whatever," I said reaching into the medicine cabinet and grabbing the Aspirin.

"Edward," my mom said walking into the house through the back door.

"Yeah," I answered her getting a glass of water.

"Your father and I need a word with you in the study," she said taking her jacket off. "Be prepared to be in there for a long talk mister. You have twenty minutes to be in there cleaned up."

What the hell was this all about? I'm twenty-five years old and I don't need lectures from my parents. Could my day get any worse? I took the Aspirin and put the glass in the sink. Yet again I knew deep down that mom meant business when we were told to come to the study and have a talk with both her and dad. I went upstairs to shower and change my clothes before talking to them.

"Come in," I heard dad say when I knocked on the door. Walking in I saw him sitting at his desk with mom in one of chairs that faced him. "Sit down now."

"Fine," I mumbled under my breath as I took the other seat.

"What is this I hear about having a granddaughter already," he asked sternly.

"Isabella swears that Carly is mine," I said using her full first name. I was still pissed off at her, and frankly didn't give a shit.

"She swears," he said sternly. "Do you not believe that she is telling the truth about Carly?"

"What do you want me to say," I spat back at him. "The fact is she hid it from me for over four years."

"What did you expect," mom said interjecting and cutting dad off.

"She could've told me," I said to them. "She didn't instead she got married to an asshole and had someone else raise her."

"No," mom said getting angry. "You have it all wrong Edward. We all knew how much of a bitch Tanya was to everyone. Would you have subjected Bella to that, or even let Carly deal with Tanya."

"Tanya wouldn't have had to have known," I said thinking quickly.

"That is pathetic and you know it," dad said sitting back in his seat.

"Emmett is grateful for what you did for him," mom told me. "It's time to let that go and move on with your life."

"Edward," dad said speaking up. "Why did you exactly go off at Bella last night?"

"I don't know," I whispered trying to remember. She had given me everything that I ever wanted and I threw it all away in the matter of seconds.

"Emmett came down and told me what happen," mom said standing up. "So this morning I went over to check on Bella. She was sleeping on the couch curled up in a ball. Charlie answered the door and the two of us talked."

"Was she okay," dad asked seriously.

"Not really," mom said walking over to his side of the desk. "Charlie said she cried all night and having a horrible time catching her breath."

"Was he able to calm her down," he asked as the doctor inside of him came out.

"Yes dear," she said reassuring. "He went on to tell me that when her marriage ended she didn't shed one tear. That the only time she ever gets like this is when Edward breaks her heart."

"Oh," I said realizing that I wasn't the only one hurting. "What did you mean when I had it all wrong."

"Her marriage," she said. "Charlie said it was more like a business deal than anything else. They were a way out for each other for some difficult situations. During the divorce she let him keep everything to keep our family out of the mud. At the time Mike and Charlie were the only other people that knew Carly was indeed a Cullen."

"You see son," dad said talking now. "She wasn't hiding it from you on purpose. She was trying to protect us, her family from something. Like how you were protecting Emmett and the rest of the family."

"Darling," mom said before taking a deep breath and looking at dad. "There's one more thing that Charlie brought up. Bella is worried that Edward will try to take Carly from her."

"I wouldn't do that," I said standing up before dad could say anything. I knew now that I had screwed the fuck up again. Except this time there is a good chance that she won't take me back.

"I'm going to go and start cooking," she said leaning down to kiss dad on the cheek.

Once mom left we were both silent for a few minutes. I walked over to one of the windows and looked out to the back yard.

"Isn't that what you always wanted," dad asked finally breaking the silence.

"What," I asked him.

"I could tell that Carly was your daughter from the start," he said sitting back in his chair. "Of course she has your eyes, and everyone says that she has some bronze in her hair. It was when we were in the living room and she stood in front of the piano. She could only play Twinkle Twinkle, but her fingers gladly over the keys just like yours."

"You didn't answer my question," I said as I watched a huge smile appear on his face. "What have I always wanted?"

"For Carly to be your daughter," he said. He right about that. I remember that night I stayed over at her house because she had no power and the roads were bad. It was then that I wanted her to be mine because I felt a special connection with her.

"You're right," I said quietly. I couldn't go over to her house and talk to her. I remember her telling me yesterday that she would be over at Charlie's. I don't think he would want me to show up at his house after last night. If I did I would be digging my own grave. "I let my temper get the best of me last night."

"Yes," he said to me before turning into a serious tone. "She came to you and told you the truth. Has she tried to do that before?"

"Yes," I said remembering when she said that we needed to talk. I always told her that we could talk about it later. "She tried the day Charlie and Sue came for dinner and again that night. I always told her that we would talk about it later. This was all my fault. How do I fix it dad?"

"Your mother said that the two of them are coming over tomorrow," he said standing up. He patted me on the back to reassure me that everything will be alright before he walked to the door. "I'm sure that you'll think of something."

"Thanks for the wake up call," I told him as he walked out.

I went back upstairs to my room and cleaned up the mess that I made when I threw the frame. I couldn't believe how much of an idiot I've been to her. She didn't deserve any of this and I had to prove that to her. As I placed the broken glass in the trash can I couldn't believe this. I was actually a dad and there was a warm feeling where I had felt numb all day so far. Carly was my daughter and she was the most beautiful little girl that I had ever seen. Before I could think about how to get Bella back I had to see Alice.

"Alice," I said knocking on her door.

"What the fuck do you want," she said cracking the door open just a little.

"I want to tell you that I'm sorry," I started to say to her before something brilliant hit. "Also that I think you are probably the coolest aunt that Carly could ever have."

"Really," she said opening the door a little wider.

"Oh yes," I said as she hugged me. We may get on each others nerves but she was my sister and I would protect her just as much as I would protect my daughter. I liked that thought and saying 'My Daughter' it has a special ring to it. When she let me go I walked back to my room and laid down on the bed.

I needed to lay down and get rid of this awful headache that I had given myself. Tomorrow was a new and special day. Tomorrow would be the first Christmas that I would get to spend with my family. Tomorrow would be the day that I try to win Bella back and prove to her that I would never leave again. Tomorrow was Christmas and it certainly is a very magical day.

"Merry Christmas Eve," I said to myself before closing my eyes.

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