The Gift

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyers owns all Twilight and the Characters

Chapter 15: The Locket

EPOV

"There's my Carlybug," dad said walking out of his study. He walked over to mom and picked Carly up out of mom's arms. "Did Santa come and see you at your house?"

"Yep," she said giggling and giving dad a big hug.

"Do you think he made a special stop here," he said as he put her down.

"I hope," she said as we all laughed.

"Why don't you go and stand with Edward," he said pointing in my direction.

"Okay," she said skipping over to me.

I picked my little girl up and held her close to me. Dad took mom by the hand and lead her into the living room to see if Santa had arrived. We all couldn't help but laugh when they did this. It had been ages since they did this, but now that they had a grandchild and another on the way traditions were coming back. I was glad to see that our traditions were coming back as well.

"My lovely," I heard dad say out loud. "Do you think that he came?"

"I guess that we'll have to let everyone else make that decision," mom said trying not to laugh.

"Carly," Emmett said getting her attention. "Why don't you go first."

"Thanks," I said as she wiggled out of my arms and headed into the living room.

After she walked in the rest of us followed behind her. I saw mom and dad sitting on couch looking so happy to have the family here together. Everyone else found somewhere to sit, but my focus was on my little girl. She was so excited about getting her bike that was beside the tree.

"Did Santa do a good job," dad asked her as he laughed.

"Yes, yes," she said jumping up and down.

"I'm glad that he did," mom said laughing too.

"Can we open our gifts now," Emmett said whining like a child.

"Emmett," I said still watching Carly as she looked at all the other toys that she had gotten. "Can't you wait a few more minutes?"

"No," he said crossing his arms and started to pout like a little kid. We all couldn't help but laugh at him.

"Here Emmie," Carly said handing him a box. "Open mine."

"Thank you," he said taking the package from her. Leave it to my daughter to cave in when Emmett whines. "It's to both of us Rose."

"Really," Rosalie said shocked. "I haven't known Bella as long as you have. Why would she give me a gift?"

"That's Bells for you," he said as he started to take the paper off and open the box. I picked Carly up and sat her down on my lap as we watched them open the gift. "She always made sure everyone had a gift. Here's a note addressed to you."

"Rose," she started to say as she read the not out loud. "I know that we haven't known each other that long. So I really didn't know what to get you this year. As I was trying to figure out what to get Emmett the perfect thing came to my mind. Since Emmett loves my sugar cookies so much I thought that it was time to pass the secret recipe on. For your Christmas gift I'm giving you my sugar cookie recipe."

"Wow," Emmett said handing Rosalie a book marked recipes and opening the tin that was in the box.

"Thank you Carly," she said as it looked as if she were about to cry. I looked at Carly and she had on the biggest smile ever.

"The gift that keeps on giving," Emmett said taking a bite out of a cookie.

"Who's next," I asked Carly as she jumped off my lap.

"Alice," she said getting her box.

"Thanks Carlybug," Alice said hugging her. When Alice opened the box she was overly excited for the contents. Bella had gotten her a gift certificate to her favorite store to use after the baby is born. As for Jasper she got him two tickets to a basketball game next month. I knew that Emmett would be the one going without any questions being asked. They enjoyed going to sporting events together and I never complained about being left out.

"You next," Carly said as dad helped her place the box on my lap.

"Carlybug," Alice said speaking up. "Come sit with me while he opens his box."

"Okay," she answered Alice and went and sat down on her lap.

I tore the paper off and opened the box to reveal an envelope on top of some tissue paper with my name on it. I took the envelope out and opened it up reading the note to myself.

Edward,

It's time that you knew all about Carly and her first four years.

Love always and forever more,

Isabella Swan

I moved the tissue paper to reveal a green, pink, and brown striped book. I took it out of the box and opened it up.

Carly Esme Swan

September 10th

Flipping through the pages I saw pictures and notes that she had written. Carly's first tooth, her first steps, and her first words. She had put a lot of work into this for me to have to let me in on everything that I missed. I went back to the first page and went from there. No one asked me any questions as they went about and started to open the gifts that were under the tree. I turned to the second page and there was a picture of the two of us from our last Christmas together. We were truly happy together and I smiled looking at it.

"Son," dad said breaking my attention from the book.

"Yeah," I answered him closing the book.

"Are you okay," he asked with a concerned voice. "You haven't said anything since you opened her gift."

"I'm fine," I said getting up from the chair. "I'll be right back. I just need to do something real quick."

"Okay," mom answered this time with a puzzled expression.

I walked out of the living room and headed into dad's study. After closing the door I walked back over to windows and looked out over the back yard seeing the gazebo in mom's flower garden. She had given me the best present gift that anyone could have ever wanted. What did I give her? A day that is supposed to be about families coming together, and she was home alone spending it. I dug my phone out of my pocket and called her house. I knew deep down that she probably wouldn't answer, but I didn't care.

"You've reached the Swan residence," the recording started to say. "Where not home at the moment. Please leave a message and we'll get back to you."

"Bella," I said after the tone beeped. "Please pick up the phone. Please Bella pick it up. I know that you're there alone. You're on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate and reading Wuthering Heights, because it's your favorite book. I'm sorry for what I said to you. I never should have walked out like that when you told me the truth. It should have been me who came over yesterday morning and not my mother to talk to you. You and Carly are the most important things in my life. You should be here with your family, my family, and more importantly our family. Please Bella, I love you always and forever more."

I hung up the phone and took a couple of deep breaths. After a few minutes of my heading laying against the cold glass I headed back to the living room. Walking in it looked like a tornado of wrapping paper ripped through. There was wrapping paper all over the floor and everyone was having a good time. Carly was playing with her toys with Emmett who was sitting in the floor with her. I sat down on the couch beside of mom.

"She didn't answer the phone," she asked still watching Carly.

"No," I answered her quietly.

"It will be alright," she said taking my hand into hers. "You have to take baby steps in this. This is just how its going to be this Christmas. Maybe next year the three of you will be together as one big happy family."

"Hopefully," I said but before I could say anything else I heard Carly raise her voice.

"Santa can't keep promises," she yelled at Emmett before running over to Alice crying. I really wanted to kick myself now. I broke the promise that I made to her about making Bella happy.

"What was that about," mom asked pointing in Carly's direction.

"I kind of," I said before spitting it all out. "When Carly came to visit Santa I sort of made a promise to her."

"Edward," mom said sternly. "What did you promise?"

"I promised," I said looking at Alice calm my little girl down. I was kind of sad because that should have been me calming her down. "I promised that Bella would be happy this Christmas. Well as you can see."

"It blew up in your face," she said finishing my statement.

"Carlybug," Alice said lifting her necklace in her hand. "Where did you get this?"

"Mommy," she said sniffling.

"Let Edward see this," Alice said pointing Carly in my direction. "Do you remember this locket?"

I sat up on the couch and watched as Carly came towards me. I wiped the tear that was falling down her cheek with my thumb.

"No more tears sweet girl," I said smiling. "This is a wonderful day to be happy and have fun."

She nodded her head as a small sniffle escaped from her. I gave her a smile and was about to tickle her before a smile appeared on her face. I picked the locket up with my hand and was shocked when I remembered it.

"Grandmother Lizzy," I said out loud looking at the locket once more. I gave this locket to Bella the same time the picture in her book was taken five Christmas's ago.

Five Christmas's ago:

"Edward," I heard Bella say as we were outside under the gazebo. "It's cold out here."

"I wanted to give you something," I said handing her a little black box. "Merry Christmas love."

"It's beautiful," she said when she opened the box. "You shouldn't have it cost too much."

"Do you remember Grandmother Lizzy," I asked taking the locket out of the box.

"A little before she passed away," she answered lifting her hair so that I could put it on her.

"She left this to me in her will," I answered her as I turned to face her. "She said for me to give it to the one person that has captured my heart. I want you to have it Bella. I've given you my heart to keep safe."

"I love it," she said wrapping her arms around my neck. "Merry Christmas Edward. I love you always and forever more."

"Merry Christmas love," I said kissing her while it snowed around us. "I love you with all my heart. I'd better get you in before you freeze to death."

"Okay," she said laughing.

I took her by the hand as we ran back to house to enjoy the rest of the day together. After warming up mom took the picture of us together in front of the tree. Then my whole world crashed around me a few days later.

"What did your mommy say," I started to say as I came back to today. "When she gave the locket to you."

"She said," Carly started to say taking her time before speaking again. "She said that my real daddy gave it to her before I was born."

"You know what," I said taking her hands into mine. "Your mommy was right."

"Why don't the rest of us go and give them some privacy," dad said standing up. Everyone agreed and left the two of us in the living room.

"Your mommy is right," I said to her when everyone was out of the living room. "About your real daddy giving her the locket."

"He did," she said amazed.

"Yeah," I told her meeting her amazement. "Did she show you the picture inside?"

"No," she said shaking her head. I reached around her neck and took it off of her.

"Here," I said when I opened it up. On the inside of the locket was a picture of the two of us. I had her wrapped in my arms and we were both smiling.

"That's you and mommy," she said started to say. "Are you my real daddy?"

"Yep," I told her when she realized that I was her real father. "You know that night when you asked me if you could call me daddy."

"The night mommy cried," she said looking down at the ground.

"I know that I hurt mommy's feelings," I said picking her up and sitting her down on my lap. "I'm really sorry for that."

"Is it okay to call you daddy," she asked quietly.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," I said kissing the top of her head.

"Will mommy be mad though," she asked looking up at me. "If I call you daddy."

"I don't think so," I told her smiling.

"Daddy," she said I melted when she called me that. "I want mommy here with us."

"I know," I told her putting the locket back around her neck. "I want her here with us too."

I sat there for a couple of minutes holding her. She snuggled close to me and I felt like I was one cloud nine. The world could have crashed on me or around me and it wouldn't have bothered me at all. I had my little girl in my arms, and she knew who I was at last. I looked down at her and noticed that she had fallen asleep in my arms.

"Mom," I said when she walked in with a couple of trash bags.

"How does it feel," she asked looking over at us.

"It feels great," I started to say with something still on my mind. "But it could be even better."

"I'll watch her," she said without me even asking.

"Thank you," I said laying Carly down on the couch and covering her up with a blanket.

"Do the right thing," she said as I raced out of the living room.

I grabbed the keys off the hallway table and bolted out the front door. Turning out of the driveway I made my way to make things right.

BPOV

When I first got home I straightened up the living room and picked up the kitchen. I've never done this before. I've never spent Christmas alone all by myself. I've either spent it with Charlie, the Cullen's, or the Newton's. Never have I spent it like this. I picked up the outfits that I bought her off the floor and hung them up in her closet so that they wouldn't get messed up. Before going downstairs I stopped by my room and grabbed my favorite book. I tried not to think about what they were doing over at the Cullen's house. I just hoped that everyone enjoyed their gifts that Carly got them. I bet Emmett is over the moon when he opened his gift to find that I had given Rose my secret recipe for sugar cookies. I laughed to myself when I imagined it as I waited for the milk to boil for my hot chocolate.

My wonderful comfort suite a cup of hot chocolate and my favorite book. Once I was in the living room curled up on the couch the phone rang. I knew that it wasn't dad who was calling me. He thought that I was spending the day over at the Cullen's and that was what he needed to think for the time being.

"Bella," I heard after the tone beeped. I knew exactly who it was when they first spoke. I just wanted to know why in hell he was calling. "Please pick up the phone. Please Bella pick it up. I know that you're there alone. You're on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate and reading Wuthering Heights, because it's your favorite book. I'm sorry for what I said to you. I never should have walked out like that when you told me the truth. It should have been me who came over yesterday morning and not my mother to talk to you. You and Carly are the most important things in my life. You should be here with your family, my family, and more importantly our family. Please Bella, I love you always and forever more."

When the message cut off I threw my book across the living room. Why? Because he was right I was here alone sitting on the couch with hot chocolate and reading Wuthering Heights. My guess is that he opened his gift to see the book that I made for him last night. He was her father and he had every right to know her. I just thought that by doing that he would really appreciate her and love her like I do.

I didn't know what to think about with his message. There was a part of me that wanted to believe every word of it and go over to the Cullen's. The other part was saying that if he really meant it, then he would have come over here to tell me himself. I wasn't going to beat myself up anymore over this I said to myself. I laid down on the couch and closed my eyes to the darkness of snowflakes falling.