Disclaimer: i am NOT stephenie meyer..i DO NOT own twilight or those crazy twilight kids, although i DO own twilight ticket stubs (yes plural stubs) and a red alabaster heart paperweight which was handmade in volterra, italy (thanks to my vamptastic beta) which i'll cherish forever and forever and forever.

Author's Note: So here we are..I can't believe the year is practically over! It went by soooo quickly. Quick note..this chapter takes place AFTER Christmas..so if you want some background info I suggest heading over to the holiday edition and reading the christmas installment! Although all the important things you need to know are here..it's not exactly neccisary for you to read the hoilday one. :D

Enough me..get to reading! :D

BPOV:

I turned the key in the ignition to off as I pulled into the driveway. I looked to the back seat to see Leilah asleep in her car seat. We were just getting home from Emmett's. I quietly got out of the car and opened the back door to get Leilah out. I smiled when I saw her curled up with her brand new Madeline doll in her blue "Madeline" coat that Alice and Rosalie bought for her.

I scooped her up into my arms careful not to wake her.

"Mommy?" she groaned as her body shifted in my arms.

"Ssh, we're home now. I'm going to put you to bed now." I whispered kissing her forehead.

I walked into the house and straight to her room. I placed her gently on her bed, slipping off her coat in the process. The glimmer of the locket Edward gave her caught my eye. I traced my finger along the outside of the heart and sighed.

Edward and Leilah had grown close the past couple months. He acted as the father figure she needed in her life.

"Good night, Leilah Anne." I whispered as I tucked her in.

I shut her door and casually walked over to my room. I flicked the light on and gasped when I saw the light blue box sitting on my bed. Immediately knew that was Edward's Christmas gift.

I got up from the couch and walked into his arms.

"Thank you for Leilah's present." I whispered.

"I saw it and thought of her. I got you something too."

"Edward…"

"I'll drop by the house and leave it for you."

I nodded as he pulled me into his arms tighter. I missed this. I took a deep breath inhaling his scent.

He leaned down to kiss my temple. "I love you." He whispered so low I barely even heard it.

I picked up the box and read the black print on the top Tiffany & Co.

"You sure know the way to a girl's heart Edward." I said to myself. I started to pull the red ribbon then stopped. I couldn't bring myself to open the present just yet. I set it on my night stand and got ready for bed.

EPOV:

I turned the car off, contemplating what I should do. I looked at the clock on my dash, it was three in the morning. Here I was sitting in front of Bella's house, debating if I should go inside.

Just do it, Cullen.

I took a deep breath and got out of the car and walked straight up to the door. I fumbled with the key as I quietly opened the door. The house was quiet and peaceful, everyone was sound asleep. I slipped my jacket off and headed towards Bella's room. I stopped by Leilah's room first. I creaked the door open and snuck inside.

Her arms wrapped around a doll. Madeline, I think it was. She had that small angelic smile on her face, which reminded me of Bella's. I took a seat at her side. I tucked a piece of her wavy brown hair behind her ears. She started to stir and her eyes flickered open.

"Uncle Eddie?" she groaned.

"Sh." I placed a finger over my lips, motioning for her to be quiet. "It's me, Leilah Anne. Did you have a good Christmas?" I whispered rubbing her back lightly.

"Yeah. I got a lot of cool presents. I missed you though." she murmured. It broke my heart to hear her say that.

"That's good, sweetie. Listen, don't tell your mommy I was here, okay? It'll be our little secret."

She nodded her head.

"Good, get back to sleep, Leilah." I whispered kissing her forehead and pulling the covers back over her body.

"Okay, good night. I love you." her voice said quietly as she drifted off to sleep.

"I love you too, my little Leilah."

I carefully got up, being careful not to make too much noise as I crept over to Bella's room. The door was shut. I twisted the knob slowly pushing the door open. I saw Bella sleeping. She was cuddled up in her blankets. I noticed the blue box sitting on her night stand, unopened. I kicked my shoes off and got in the bed with her. Her body stirred, but she remained sleeping. Her body was now facing mine. I picked my hand up and caressed her face.

I knew it was wrong for me to be here. She needed the space, the time, but I needed to see her, to be next to her. It hurt me to be away from her during the holidays. All I wanted to do was be with her. I pulled her close to my body. Her cool breath tickled my skin.

"I'll be home for Christmas, you can count on me. Please have snow and mistletoe and presents under the tree. Christmas Eve will find me, where the love light beams. I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams, if only in my dreams." I sang to her softly.

"Edward?" she whispered and I froze.

Shit, Shit, Shit.

I looked over at her, she was still sound asleep.

Sleep talking strikes again.

"Edward, I love you." she muttered under her breath. At that moment I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. She really did still love me.

"I love you too Isabella, more than you will ever know." I responded and kissed her forehead lightly. "Merry Christmas, love."

I slipped out of the bed and walked out of the room. I couldn't risk Bella finding me there.

BPOV:

The sun poked through the curtains covering my windows, forcing me to wake up from the most amazing dream I had. Edward had come by and laid with me, held me, sang to me. I sighed rolling over in my bed, to the exact spot where he was laying, in my dream. I ran my hand over the cotton of my sheets. In some strange way the pillow smelled exactly like him, the bed was warm as if he had been laying there.

You're crazy, Bella.

My eyes wandered to the blue box sitting on my night stand. I decided to keep ignoring it. I knew that by opening it, in a sense, I would be opening Pandora's box. All the emotions I've tried to suppress the past couple days would flow through like water breaking through a dam. I wasn't ready for that, there was no way I was ready for that.

"Mommy?" Leilah said poking her head through the door. "You up yet?"

"Yeah, sweetie. You wanna come lay with me for a little?" I asked. Her brown eyes lit up and she bolted through the door running straight for my bed. I lifted the covers and she snuggled up against my body.

"Mommy?"

"Yes Leilah?"

"What are we doing today?" she questioned.

"Whatever you would like to do today. What do you want to do?"

"Can we go see Uncle Eddie?"

"Um, I think he's working today sweetie." I said, lying. There was a pretty good chance he was off today. He worked the past two days, both days being a holiday. I'm sure he was off, but like I said before, there was no way I was ready to deal with him.

"Oh." she said disappointed.

"Maybe another day, sweetie."

"Okay. Can we go see Grandpa today?"

"We can call and ask."

"Oh can we, mommy?" she asked bouncing over to the night stand to reach for the phone, but her hands stopping on the box. "Mommy you have a present." She picked it up and held out for me. "You should open it."

I carefully took the box out of her hands. "Mommy was going to wait until later to open it."

"No, mommy. You should open the present now. I want to see what it is. Who is it from?"

"Your Uncle Eddie." I answered.

"Mommy you have to open it! Uncle Eddie gives good presents!" she said putting her hand over her locket. She was right. Between Leilah's locket, Rosalie's nine hundred and something dollar pair of shoes, I'm sure the token sitting in the little blue box was a good one.

"Alright, I'll open it." I sighed. Leilah clapped her hands together and watched as I pulled the white card from the top of the box.

Happy Holidays Bella…

Look after my heart, I've left it with you.

-Edward

"What's it say, mommy?" Leilah asked as she peered over my hands to look at the card.

"It just says Happy Holidays." I answered. There was no need to go into details.

"Oh." She replied her mouth forming a little 'o' shape. "Open the box mommy, open the box!"

I pulled the red ribbon, untying the bow and lifted the top off. I gasped at the necklace staring at me. The platinum chain rested beautifully on the white velvet on the middle of the chain were two small pendants. The first being a heart with a key hole in the middle encrusted with tiny diamonds. The key to the heart was dangling right next to it.

I brought my hand up to my eye to wipe the tears that were forming on my eyelids before Leilah would notice.

"That's pretty, mommy. You should wear it. I told you Uncle Eddie gives good presents. I like it!" she exclaimed.

"I like it too, sweetie. Why don't you go get dressed, so we can go see Grandpa Charlie."

She nodded and ran out the room. My fingertips grazed the shiny metal just as a tear ran down my cheek. I reached for the phone and dialed the seven familiar numbers. It rang several times before he picked up.

"Hello?" his groggy voice said.

He was sleeping. Nice, Bella.

"Hey." I whispered.

"Bella?" His voice perked up at the sound of my voice.

"Morning, Edward."

"Morning."

"So, um, thanks for the present, Edward. You really didn't have to do that." I said.

"Yes I did. I saw it and thought of you Bells. You're the keeper of my heart, you'll always be." he cooed.

Dammit! This is exactly why I didn't want to open the present. Why did I call him? Dang Pandora's box!

"Well, thanks. It's beautiful."

"Just like you Bella, just like you." he said. I could imagine his smoldering green eyes staring at me. He would bring his hand up to caress my cheek ever so lightly, like he always does.

Snap out of it Bella.

"Thanks." I paused in attempt to collect my thoughts. "Well, I'll let you get back to sleep. I know you must've worked late last night. Thanks again."

"Anything for you Bella. Take care of yourself okay?"

"I always do."

"Give Leilah a kiss for me. I love you, Bella."

I sighed, taking a deep breath. "I love you too Edward. I always will."

Never fear Edward! She still cares! :D Of course she still does! She just needs to realize it all, right? right!

Well hopefully I'll get one other chapter out before Christmas stirkes..hopefully. If not, I'm sure they'll be one coming to you shortly after and I promise it'll be good! :D Oh and thoughts, ideas for New Years Celebrations? I'm open to suggestions...debating on if I should make a New Years Eve/Day installment in the Holiday Edition..

You know the drill...review, review, review

And if I don't make it back before the hoildays! Merry (insert whatever holiday you celebrate here)!!!! :D