A/N: 1:40am still doing Media but need a quick break so here's another jump back in time for you. So sorry I haven't updated in two days! Super bad weekend meant I was just too stressed to type haha
October 1997
Edward knocked on the door to his Ex's house which he was in all honesty quite jealous of, Serena had done well from the money that she had got from their divorce of course she wasn't broke she was a doctor with a well paid pay check. He heard from outside the sound of water splashing and squeals, those were from his little girl the one he left behind.
"I wanna see daddy," he heard her say.
"Yes but you need to get dressed," he heard Serena say to the two year old inside but after Eleanor screaming Serena gave in and opened the door, "Hi," Serena said bluntly Eleanor was on her hip smiling.
"How's my best girl?" Edward as the blonde toddler who was still wrapped in a bath robe, "Have you just got out of the bath?" he asked patronisingly.
"I had bath and splashed mummy," Eleanor wiggled to get down but Serena was not letting go, "I wanna see daddy!" Serena walked into the living room and laid Eleanor down on the sofa.
"Still not potty trained?" Edward asked his daughter, he had meant to sound like he was joking but Serena glared which Edward hadn't felt on him yet, "And I thought it was boys who took a while?" he looked up to find Serena glaring his grin dropped, "Sorry."
"Well every child is different," Serena laid her on the mat then realised she hadn't got her pyjamas, she smacked her forehead then turned to Edward, "Could you do it whilst I get her pyjamas please? Or is it too much trouble because she's not potty trained?" things were still bitter between the pair and Eleanor sensed it. She tensed up and sucked her thumb an act that didn't go unnoticed by Serena, "Don't do that darling it's bad for your teeth," she scolded her gently she knew why she was doing it fear.
"No shout," Eleanor said almost in tears her big blue eyes were welling up, she maybe only two but she knew how scared she got when her parents rowed. She ignored her mum's wish for her to not suck her thumb but right now because her toy dog was upstairs this was the alternative.
"We're not shouting," Edward soothed his terrified two year old, he stroked her cheek and sighed, "OK we're just talking."
"Shouting," Eleanor corrected giving her dad a look that reminded him strongly of Serena, "Don't."
"OK we won't shout," Edward taped the nappy on and then waited for Serena too come back down. Eleanor was now laid on the sofa twiddling with her hair and still sucking her thumb and using her free hand to study how many toes she had. Edward saw no harm in thumb sucking at her age if she got to about five and was still doing it fair enough but she was two. It only seemed bother Serena. But the more Edward thought about it, it bugged Serena when Eleanor grew an attachment to her pacifier which after Serena noticed she removed straight away; he remembered tears and cries all through the night until she found a comfort in her hair and thumb Serena walked back in and sighed heavily.
"Eleanor I said don't do that," Serena wanted to rip that god damn thumb off it was such a horrid habit.
"I like it," Eleanor looked at her mother innocently she then shrugged something she learnt from Edward.
"Here," she chucked the Aristocats pyjamas at him, he looked confused she rolled her eyes, "Well since you only see her on the weekends might as well get her dressed for the night or is it once again too much trouble?"
"Serena," Edward growled now frustrated by her bitterness, "Just stop OK."
"Just stop? What do you mean by just stop?" Serena asked well more like snapped both were unaware their daughter had crawled off the sofa and hid behind it, "Stop what?" she felt her anger rising her chest was getting heavier she was hadn't noticed how hard she was breathing in and out.
"Shouting it's scaring," he cranked his neck round but found that their two year old was gone, "Great we've scared her nice one," he accused of her immediately, "If you hadn't taunted me this wouldn't have happened."
"How dare you!" Serena snapped Eleanor heard and covered her ears, "You have the cheek to come here and if you hadn't taunted me? You're the one who shagged a child Edward…you're the one who left, so don't you dare ever, ever accuse me of this wouldn't have happened," Serena searched frantically around the house then she realised that she had to be calm, "Ellie darling it's OK," Serena said from the hallway, "We've stopped yelling…come on."
"Eleanor come on," Edward searched everywhere in the kitchen even checked outside, "Eleanor come on don't play games," panic was growing in his mind as he had no idea.
Serena heard cries and sniffles she followed them and leant on the sofa then looked over and found her daughter curled up crying, tears streaming down her tiny face and her massive blue eyes looked terrified, "There you are,"Serena walked around and walked behind to be with her daughter, "What you doing there baby?"
"You and daddy shouting," that's all she had to say before crying, "Don't like it."
"Oh darling," Serena pulled her onto her lap, "I'm sorry," she kissed her head, "OK mummy's sorry."
"Is daddy still here?" Eleanor asked innocently she looked around, hoping to see signs of him but when she didn't panic hit her, "Is he still here?"
"Yes he's still here," Serena picked her up and placed her on her hip, "OK daddy's still here."
Eleanor twirled with her hair and then held her arms out as Edward walked in, "Daddy," wrapped her around his neck and then cuddled into him.
"Hey," Edward sat down on the sofa and put Eleanor on his lap, "Sorry darling," he leant his forehead on hers, "Daddy's sorry."
"You scary when you argoo," Eleanor leant her head on her dad's chest that was always warm something Serena's didn't have, "Can I still stay with you?" she asked and lifted her head away.
"Of course," Edward reassured stroking her cheek, "You're still staying with me this weekend."
"Good," Eleanor rested her head against his chest again felt safe as his heartbeat pounded in her ear, "Will Minny be there?" she was still having trouble pronouncing Mindy and to be honest he didn't correct her he found it cute.
"No she's staying with her sister for the weekend," Edward saw the relief on Serena's face and felt Eleanor sigh a relief sigh too, "Now shall we get you into your pjs?" he asked trying to make her feel better and also to make Serena see he did care, she left the living room to go into the kitchen and cursed herself for losing it like that in front of Eleanor.
"Yeah," Eleanor replied grinning and after she was pyjamafied Edward sat her back on his lap and read a bit of Goldie Locks and The Three Bears to her, "Who's been eating my porridge?" Edward done the voice of the papa bear very well, Serena overheard his imitation and smiled to herself. No matter how much she hated him for doing what he did, he was a good dad and even if it was just on weekends. So she gave in and stood in the doorway arms folding listening, "Who's been eating my porridge?" he again done a good impression of the mama bear, "Who's been eating my porridge and eaten it all up?" he done a great impression of baby bear, "Who do you think it is?" he jiggled Eleanor on his lap.
"I don't know," Eleanor giggled, "Read."
They were interrupted by Serena entering, "She likes it when you read to her," Serena sat on the other sofa and closed her eyes and then looked over, "Carry on don't let me stop you."
"Mummy," Eleanor called.
"Yes?" Serena asked her daughter.
"Read with daddy," Eleanor reached out her short hand, as to say 'come over', "Read with daddy."
"I think daddy's doing well on his own," Serena was trying to avoid any contact with Edward at all costs and him being sat here, in her home was awkward enough.
"Peease mummy," Eleanor jumped up and down putting on her best puppy dog face, "Peeeease mummy."
Eleanor had broken her she had to do it because it was rare she asked for something like this, "OK," Serena got off the sofa and sat down, Eleanor reached out her hand and Serena took it, "What part we on?" she asked.
"The chair part," Edward answered looking at the book, "OK," he began to read again, "Who's been sitting in my chair? Papa bear howled," Edward then signalled for Serena to read mama bear, "She wants you to read."
"Who's been sitting in my chair? Wondered Mama bear," Serena added to the story she saw Eleanor giggling, "What are you laughing at missy?"
"I know," she kicked her legs back and forward, "I know," she giggled and placed her hands to her mouth.
"Well don't spoil it for us we have no idea," Edward winked, "Who's been sitting in my chair and BROKEN IT? Squeaked baby bear," Edward made Eleanor laugh harder as he sounding like he had swallowed helium though it wasn't just Eleanor from the corner of his eye he saw Serena slightly laughing.
"Read," Eleanor tapped the book, "Read," she demanded of her father, "Daddy read."
"The three bears ran upstairs to check their bedrooms "Who's been sleeping in my bed?" Papa bear roared," Edward then signalled for Serena.
"Who's been sleeping in my bed? Growled Mama Bear she was angry and a little worried," Serena then looked back down at Eleanor she noticed their daughter looked, content happy that they weren't arguing.
"Who's been sleeping in my bed and is STILL HERE?" Baby Bear screamed," the high pitched voice again had Eleanor in stitches and Serena again laughed slightly, "Went a little too high then…he said it so loud that it woke Goldilocks up. She was so frightened that she jumped out of bed, ran out the front door, and raced through the forest until she her mother's voice. Goldilocks was so happy to see her mother that she promised to never wander through the forest alone again, and that's it," he shut the book and smiled, "So you knew who it was then?" he asked Eleanor tickling her tummy which made her giggle and nearly fall, "Opps," he grabbed her.
"You OK?" Serena asked protectively. Her and Edward made eye contact and they stayed looking at each other for a while but looked away when they realised how long they had been staring. It was clear both still had a bit of a flame for each other because the eye contact was the exact same they made when they et at Harvard.
"Uh-huh," Eleanor nodded smiling she then looked at her father's hand, "Why do you have a roundy thing," she pointed to the ring on his finger, "And mummy don't?"
"Because," Serena knew this was for her to explain, she took her off Edward and put Eleanor onto her lap, "Because mummy and daddy aren't married no more…but daddy remarried Mindy," it took all of Serena's effort to not spit the name, "That's why."
"Oh," Eleanor played with the string on her mother's hoddie, "So why don't you wear a roundy thing?"
"Because I don't need too," Serena answered laughing, confused hadn't she been listening?
"So why daddy get mareed," Eleanor pronounced it wrong which made Serena laugh, "And not you?"
"Because," Serena sighed, "I haven't got another person."
"Oh," Eleanor shook her head clear she wasn't understanding but at two how would she? "So daddy mareed Minny but you didunt?"
"Yeah," Serena sighed heavily, "Look just because daddy doesn't live here doesn't mean he doesn't love you."
"I know," Eleanor was very bright for a girl her age it scared Serena sometime show bright she was, "When I going daddy's?"
"You can go now if you want?" Serena suggested though she was sad to be having the house to herself for two nights.
"O K," Eleanor jumped off her mother and ran back to Edward, "Let's go," she jumped up and down on his thighs, "Come on daddy."
Edward picked her up and put her on his hip then Eleanor said goodbye to her mum and got given her toy dog which she loved, "Bye darling," Serena gave her one last hug, "Mummy'll see you Monday."
"Love yoo," Eleanor dragged out the word you and then once they were outside she began to chew on her dog's ear. Least it isn't the thumb Serena thought to herself as she stood outside to seem them off.
"Don't bite doggy's ear off," Edward scolded but it came out more jokingly than seriously, he put her into her car seat and belted her in.
"Love ooo," Eleanor touched her dad's face and Edward's face softened.
"Love you too darling," he grabbed her tiny hand and kissed it, "Now let's go," before he got into the car he gave a look to Serena one that he saved for her and it sent shivers done her spine which she cursed herself for because it meant he was getting under her skin but in a good way. Which she could not let happen.
A/N: Jump back in time again but I needed a distraction from Media for a bit lol so let me know what you think (: xx