A/N: Wow, this chapter took me forever to get out. The muse gods were not with me. But, here it is, enjoy!
Please come check out the BFFFer's of Fanfiction website (link on my page). Here you'll find rec's, pics and teasers from not only my stories but some others. Come and look!
Thanks to my wonderful beta LittleLea05
In a Child's Eyes
In a child's eyes a fireman is a hero.
When he is battling a dangerous blaze,
he is not in the spotlight for fame,
but just to save property and lives,
its in their heart you know.
A fireman is brave day and night,
twenty-four seven,
because he knows a higher power
is watching over down from heaven.
A fireman leaves his own family
to respond to a call,
saying to his wife, "I'm sorry dear,
I've got to go, but I still love you all."
Rushing to the station not knowing
what dangers he will face,
but to return home hours later
with a smile on his face.
A fireman is unique in doing what he does,
saying he is not a hero,
just doing something he loves.
Saying a fireman is not a hero
may not be true every time,
but for the child's eyes who wrote this,
grew up and became a fireman are mine.
- Written by Joel M. Pace
Disclaimer: Plot mine, everything else, Stephenie Meyer
Chapter 22 – Woman in White, Boy in Blue
Bella POV
My heart was bounding against my rib cage like it was trying to break free. I shifted my weight in the hard plastic chair I was sitting in. You'd think they would put more comfortable seats in a room like this. One in which they obviously knew you would be sitting there for a while, nervous and worrying about the outcome of the upcoming meeting. My hands were all sweaty sitting in my lap. I was twisting the band on my left hand anxiously as my knee bounced up and down. I was studiously studying the grain on the desk in front of me when I felt a hand on my knee causing me to stop bouncing my leg up and down.
"Calm down babe, she said she would be in soon." Edward whispered to me as he dropped a reassuring kiss on my head.
"Yes Isabella, I don't think you have anything to really fret about." I glanced up at Mr. Masen, my father-in-law. I was still getting use to having him around, getting to know him. Three months ago in July when Edward and I were getting ready to wed, I secretly got a hold of him. Edward had told me he hadn't really talked to his father in sometime, and even if he was indifferent now to whether his father came to our wedding our not, I knew in the future he would end up kicking himself for not inviting him. I smiled as I remembered that day.
The following Monday after Alice gave birth, I contacted the dispatch office to inquire about her job. Apparently Alice had thought ahead and put in a good word for me, not like I really needed one. The emergency service personnel often ran in the same circle, so they already knew who I was. When I got to the station that morning Carlisle and I had a nice long talk part of which was me putting in my two weeks, well more like three weeks, I needed to stay long enough for Carlisle to get a replacement for me.
A week before our wedding Carlisle had informed me that he had found a replacement for me and that he would be promoting Jasper to my position. I offered to get some cakes made for the occasion so we could celebrate. I was excited for that day. "Excuse me everyone, can I have your attention please?" Edward and I got up from the kitchen table and walked into the living room to hear what Carlisle had to say. "Since Ms Swan, excuse me, soon-to-be Mrs. Masen over here will be leaving us next week after she gets married, I have taken the opportunity to hire another new probationary firefighter. His name is Laurent and he starts next week. Now, that being said there needs to be some rearranging done." I giggled to myself because I knew what was coming.
With a nod from Carlisle, I quickly disentangled myself from Edward and quickly moved into the kitchen. I grabbed the two small cakes out of the fridge that I had to secretly have made where Edward didn't find out. I started to make my way back into the living room.
"Congratulations Edward, You are no long a Probie." There was a round of applause. "And congratulations to Jasper, Our new engineer." Jasper was quiet and I would say bashful if it wouldn't seem like I was questioning his sexuality. We all had a few pieces of cake that night and talked about the future of the fire engine. It was soon to be an all man crew again which would eliminate the need for my room downstairs. The guys spent the night trying to decide what to do with the room. In the long run we decided to turn it into more much need storage.
The weeks leading up to our union went by faster than I could have ever imagined. We set the wedding date for July 10th and if it wasn't for Alice and Rose helping me plan and work everything out, we would have just ended up getting hitched at the courthouse because I swear the number of fires tripled during those three weeks. But, thankfully, my friends are the shit!
We decided on a place in Seattle called Kubota Gardens that was secluded and beautiful with small ponds and gorgeous green trees and plants. From there we decided to keep to a nearly traditional firefighter wedding, the reception was being held at the station in the back training yard. Carlisle was even nice enough to help schedule a crew to come set up a giant white wedding tent, chairs and tables in the training yard while Esme organized the catering. The only thing Edward and I really had to take care of was the wedding dress, tux and honeymoon. We were able to take a week off and we would be spending that week aboard a cruise up to Alaska and back thanks to some serious strings being pulled and a ton of money being spent, but I had no doubt in my mind that it would be worth it in the long run.
I was incredibly nervous the morning of the wedding. We did the traditional thing and spent the night apart. Edward insisted on me staying at my father's because "I know I can't get away with sneaking in there." He was right though. Charlie and I stayed up to nearly three in the morning just talking. It had been a long time since we talked, actually talked instead of a game being on or us dancing around our emotions. We covered every topic from the wedding, to children, to future jobs on my part. And his retirement, his new girlfriend who was willing to brave his bachelor tendencies to me finally breaking down and telling him everything about the Renee confrontation and me calling Edwards estranged dad.
But I didn't get any sleep that night. I dozed in and out of consciousness between three and seven when Alice and Rose showed up. It was like the night before Christmas and I was too anxious to let my mind settle enough to pass out. But from the second the girls picked me up until the second it struck noon on the clock, I was stuck in a whirlwind of time passing by so fast that I couldn't keep up. When noon arrived I was sitting anxiously in the back of one of Carlisle expensive Mercedes in the park getting ready to follow both Rose and Alice down the aisle.
But I do have to hand it to my girlfriends, when they put their mind to something; they accomplish it with the most fabulous results. My hair was down so simply for the wedding; down in waves with just the front pulled back with a few bobby pins. My dress was perfect, mainly because I picked it out and it wasn't a traditional sort of long white dress with a veil. No, my dress was a clean white dress with a bodice top that flared out to my knees with a fire engine red sash around the middle. Rose and Alice's simple fire engine red dresses matched of course. And instead of wearing heels or flats, I wore a pair of white flip flops since we were getting married in the park.
Charlie was there to help me out of the car to start the walk to our wedding site. I couldn't see it yet since it was down a path and around a corner, but I could hear the chatter of our awaiting friends and families and the soft melodies of violist playing that happened to be the chief's daughter. I was on friendly terms with her, now. We had the unfortunate opportunity to date the same guy at the same time back when I was 22 and fresh out of the fire academy. We've since grown past it.
"You ready to do this kid?" My dad asked as he looped his arm through mine and started walking. He was dressed in his formal police man uniform and looking rather dashing for an old man, though he'd probably argue with me if he caught me referring to him as an old man.
"Of course." I smiled and looked ahead. I shifted the bouquet of daisies in my hand as I nervously started to walk down the path. Alice and Rose entered ahead of me so I could hear the crowd quiet down. We wanted this to be a quick short wedding so we didn't even bother to have chairs set up. There were only about forty of us all together including a few family members, friends and a lot of our fellow firefighters. We were even able to convince Tyler's foster mom to come out with him, though I had yet to see him.
I turned the corner out into the open area where we would become man and wife and my breath caught in my throat. Edward looked good! Standing at the front of all of our loved ones was Edward decked out fully in his formal fire service uniform. Head to toe dark black uniform pants and jacket with his badge on the front, with a starch white button up underneath, black tie with his white gloves on and hat on his head barely keeping his hair contained. There are few times in a firefighter's career that we are required to wear such a formal uniform. When we graduate the academy, any funerals, when being awarded a medal or some of us who chose to wear them for weddings, because as I looked around me, all of our fellow firefighters were in their uniforms as well. Standing off to the side of the group by Carlisle was a man I didn't know and only partially recognized. It was with a start that I realized Edward Sr. was actually here. I glanced to my left and saw a very happy, bouncing in one place, Tyler who was looking mighty cute in a little tux. I flashed a grateful smile at his foster mom and turned my attention back on Edward.
When my father and I reached him, Charlie quickly shook Edward's hand and then placed my hand in his. Edward squeezed my hand tightly real quick as we turned towards the minister who came out here to join us today. He's the same minister that also comes to any firefighter funerals. I shook my head slightly at the morbid thoughts running through my head as I faced the man who with a few simple words would be changing my life forever.
A few moments later, a swapping of rings, a couple of "I do's" and the man before us was saying, "You may now kiss the bride." I watched in semi-slow motion as Edward reached up and pulled his uniform hat away, tossed it behind him and swopped me up into a kiss. The cheering and clapping around as faded away like some cheesy B movie as his lips moved with mine. I never thought I'd see that day when I would get married. I didn't think there was anyone right for me, but as I kissed my new husband, I was proven wrong.
Everyone quickly dispersed to their cars to hurry over to the station for the reception. A few of us stayed behind for pictures, mainly the wedding party and our fathers. We had several taken, some of which included the whole station dressed in their uniforms with me in my dress in the front by Edward, some more traditional ones, and we took one with both our fathers in it. We even did some of those amusing type pictures with me up on his back, or all of the guys holding me across them. It was a lot more fun than I thought it would be.
Everyone else left without us, except for Carlisle. He politely went to wait by his car while Edward and I had a moment alone before leaving for the reception. We wanted to be the last ones to arrive, partially because we had not seen how the place was going to be decorated and wanted to be surprised with everyone there. Honestly, I half way wanted to skip the whole reception and get straight to the honeymoon but I knew that not only would Alice have my head, but I'm sure my father would too.
Edward pulled me into a hug and just held onto me for a little bit before I felt him place a few soft kisses on my neck. "Mrs. Masen." He said quietly.
"Yes?"
"Oh, nothing. I just felt like calling you that." He smiled and I laughed.
"It does have a bit of a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"
He nodded. "Mrs. Masen." He paused. "Mrs. Edward Masen. Mrs. Isabella Masen. Isabella Masen…"
I interrupted him. "Oh husband of mine." I said in a slightly sarcastic tone. "The former Miss Swan also known as Bella Masen would like to go get something to eat now." He laughed as he grabbed my hand and lead me out of the park.
It took about thirty minutes for Carlisle to fight the traffic and get us back to the station for our reception. To say I was shocked when we pulled up would be an understatement. The engine and ladder truck where pulled out of the engine bay and sitting in front the station side by side decorated with white and red sashes down the sides of them. A few of those paper 3D wedding bells hung from them in various places and the engine had a giant white banner across the back that said "Just married." I can only assume that we were getting a ride home on the engine then.
Carlisle stepped in front of us and cleared his throat loudly.
"May I present, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Masen?"
As we passed through the back engine bay doors to the training yard everyone stopped and yelled "CONGRATULATIONS!" to us. We stopped and talked to several friends and shook hands and hugged. I looked around the yard and was impressed by the looks of it. Everything was tastefully done in whites and reds. To the left of the yard was all of the food and a bar-b-cue cooking up what looked to be a tri-tip and chicken. Sitting there was also the cake I had yet to see. I told Alice I had only two requirements for our wedding cake. Don't be too traditional and the filling must be chocolate. The cake itself was a tiny little white square on the top of a tier and underneath it for three tiers down were miniature versions of the top piece, like cupcakes but not. On top of the cake was a cake topper with a firefighter dancing with his bride in a white dress and a fire helmet of her own. It was altogether rather cute.
Before I knew it our reception was over. I was right about the fire engine though, Jasper jumped up into the cab and told Edward and I in no uncertain terms that he was talking us home (a few measly blocks away) and to hop on the back. Like out of some movie, I jumped on the back of the engine and held on to one of the railings as Edward stood behind me securing me to the engine. Jasper drove off with the lights going (minus the sirens) all the way to our apartment, slowly, making sure that all the traffic we drove through saw us on the back. We received several honks, shouts, thumbs up, waves and smiles all the way there. At one stoplight a woman actually got out of her car, walked over to Edward stuck her hand in his pocket without saying anything but smiled and walked away. Edward ended up pulling a $100 bill from his pocket as she walked away.
Our honeymoon was spent mostly inside our cabin on the ship. The few times we did venture out was on the days we actually made port. Our little excursions were usually cut short however since Edward and I couldn't seem to keep our hands to ourselves. While at dinner on the cruise ship, we managed to make a few friends who for the entire trip had taken to calling us "The Love Birds". Highly unoriginal, but we were the only newlyweds onboard and by far one of the youngest couples there. A cruise to Alaska wasn't exactly the most exciting trip for young couples, which is why we chose it. We knew it would be more relaxing with less drama and partying.
Upon our return home, and to work, Edward went back to the fire station without me and I felt a small sort of pang at the knowledge that I wouldn't be going back to work there. It had been my home for the last eight years and I couldn't imagine not working there. At least I could always go back and visit anytime I wanted to. The next day I started work at the dispatch center and found a new calling. I found that I very much enjoyed doing what Alice did and I could understand now why she had said she had an adrenaline rush much the same as we did going on the fire. The first time I called in a dispatch of my former engine my voice cracked a little on the radio like I was a probationary firefighter all over again. It was embarrassing but I quickly got through it.
While on my down time at work I looked for a new house. Edward and I had decided while on our honeymoon that we needed somewhere larger if we were really going to go ahead with an adoption. Lucky for us, I stumbled on a beautiful penthouse type apartment in downtown Seattle near the fire station that was a four bedroom, two and a half bathroom top floor place. I looked at it as soon as I could, because Edward couldn't get away from the station to do so with me, and I put in an offer before I even left the place. Six weeks later we received the keys to our new apartment. Two weeks after that we applied for adoption for Tyler. We had spent several weekends with him, taking him to the fair underneath the Space Needle, to the station and on little picnics. We had explained to his foster mom our intentions and she was surprisingly supportive of us.
That was a month ago that we applied for adoption and I really had no idea the amount of hoops we would have to jump through for him. One of the major issues with adopting him was the fact that Edward and I had to be married for at least a year before we would even be considered. And we had to have Tyler as a foster child of ours for six months before the process could even start. After the foster period time it could take up to another six months to be approved and fully complete the adoption process. Not to mention, they request that at least one 'parent' not be working for the first six months of the adoption so that 'parent' and child can bond. So, no sooner did I start my job at the dispatch center did I put in my two weeks' notice. We could make due on Edwards income and our savings even though we had just bought a house. Plus with the reintroduction of Edward's father into our lives, plus my fathers, we were covered as far as help went. Edward senior even stepped up to be our attorney for the adoption process.
And that was where we were now. Patiently, or in my case, impatiently waiting for Mrs. Finch – our case worker for the foster care and adoption – to come back into the office with the hopefully good news.
I startled as the door opened revealing Mrs. Finch standing in the door way, old school coke bottle glasses perched on the edge of her nose as she looked over our file. "Well, Mr. and Mrs. Masen, it looks like great news." She finally looked up from the file as she sat down behind her desk. "You have been approved to foster Tyler Vanda for six months and pending the end of those six months we will start the adoption process."
Tears started falling down my face as I gripped Edwards hand as tight as I could. The last four weeks finally didn't feel like I was striving for nothing. I had painted one of our new bedrooms in a soft sea green color and even bought a child's bed, some boy bedding, toys and other various items I thought Tyler would need. I was so hoping I hadn't done all of that work in vain at that we would get to bring Tyler home with us.
"Uh…" Edward cleared his throat. "When can we pick him up?"
"Let's see…" She shuffled some papers. "He just started kindergarten in August and gets let out of school at 1:30 in the afternoon. His current foster mom asked that you come by Friday the 8th, I guess that'll be tomorrow," She said as she glanced at her calendar, "around 3:30 to pick him and his belongings up." After shuffling some more paperwork she presented me with a list. "Here are the medications he is on that you can pick up from the pharmacy listed at the bottom. They have already been notified about the change in foster parents. Here is also a list of his school schedule, teachers, principle, numbers, location, etcetera that you need to know. Anything else you can think of you can call my office or talk to his current foster mom about tomorrow."
The next day we were eager to get over to Tyler's to pick him up. We had cleaned and straightened our home to the point of obsessive compulsiveness. I had stocked our cabinets with as much food and kid snacks and such as possible. I felt utterly nervous, excited and scared. I had no idea what I was doing being a parent, especially to one that is already in school. I could just hope that in the future, Tyler forgives us for screwing up now, because we all knew we would fail at doing something right in these early stages of parenthood.
I knocked at the door timidly as Edward gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. He had been so supportive through this whole ordeal. I imagine he felt he had to be strong for me so that I wouldn't start freaking out, and truth be told, I was so thankful for that. The door in front of us flew open and standing there was Tyler, back pack on with a monkey stuffed animal in his arms. I dropped down and pulled him into my arms.
"Evie says I am going to live with you now. She says that you are my new mommy and daddy?" His eyes were huge as he looked at me and up at Edward apprehensively. I smiled and Edward bent down to talk to him.
"Evelyn is right little man; you're coming home with us today. How do you like the sound of that?"
"Love it!" He laughed as he took off down the hall of Evelyn's apartment. We grabbed up his stuff, and after a tearful goodbye from Evelyn to Tyler, we set off.
That night, after an exhausting afternoon playing with every one of Tyler's new toys with him, I tucked him into bed and laid down on one side of him with Edward on the other. Earlier Tyler had shyly asked if we would read him a bedtime story together. He picked one of my favorite books from when I was a little kid, The Cat in the Hat. I hadn't even made it half way through when I looked over to find not only Tyler asleep but Edward too. I smiled as I set down the book on the nightstand, clicked out the light and got as comfortable as I could in the little twin bed with my husband and my new little boy.
A/N: I have never adopted a kid or known anyone that has. I did a lot of researching this chapter on the adoption process. Of course it varies from state to state and case to case, but I tried to stick with the basic guidelines as much as possible. For creative purposes, this is how the adoption process will go in this story.
The dress, Edwards uniform, the cake and cake topper all have links on my page for you to go get a visual of. Check them out because I spent a lot of time researching, i.e. wasting time, finding the perfect ones to represent this chapter. Thanks.