The next thing in a long list

EPOV

I didn't know what to say. How do you tell your

adoptive mother or even just mother for that matter that you just picked up a strange little girl up of the streets just because she was crying? It was basically kidnapping. NO, I thought it was saving her, who knows what could have happened.

"Well you see" I began as my words trailed off; I was at a loss for words here.

"Oh Edward you didn't," Esme worried before I could continue with my sentence.

"I didn't what?"

"I always wondered why you and Tanya broke things off, she was a perfectly nice woman but to think you could leave her pregnant and ignore this little girl of yours. I though I raised you right!"

To think that Esme could think so little off me was upsetting, didn't she see how I was with my nieces and nephews, with the kids I worked with. It was one of my dreams growing up to become a father and have a family off my own. Me and Tanya were just not a well suited match something that my family still disagreed with to this day, and never let me forget.

"Mother of course not! I was walking to work when I heard her crying, she was in a little hand made shelter behind some bins." As I was retelling the shortened version of my morning's events I could see Esme's features begin to soften a little bit.

"Oh god the poor dear, I always knew there were thousands of children living in poverty and the streets around the world, but never have I seen one or even imagined bringing one home."

"Such a good boy, I apologise of course you would do the right thing."

By this point a few stray tears were running down my mother's cheek with her eyes filled with more threatening to fall.

"I just couldn't leave her there mom, just look at her innocent face. What was I supposed to do, give her my lunch and leave her again?"

"I feel terrible, what was I thinking that certainly wasn't how you were raised. Why don't you bring her inside out of this terrible weather"

Getting out of the car I wondered whether little Ava would allow me to carry her again; it certainly took a lot of persuasion last time. Fortunately she opened up her arms for me to pick her up as soon as I opened her car door and resumed her favourite position. It felt good to have her trust; I could felt a little warmth of happiness and contempt run throughout my body. Her little head Snuggled in my neck, I could bring comfort to this little angel.

Upon entering the house the rest of my family's views on her ran through my brain. What would they think? Would they love her? Hate her? I didn't know but I only prayed to god that they would love her. I guess I was about to find out as I could see Emmet heading towards us coming down the hallway.

"Hey bro what's up…wooow dude what you been doing, ya sneaky chap you? Maybe our little eddies not the Virgin Mary after all; we all had our doubts (and bets)"

"Shut the crap up Em you'll find out in a minute. Just get everyone into the living room for me."

"Demanding much," Emmet replied carrying on his journey into the living room door where I waited to make my grand entrance.

"Come on baby darling, let's go and meet the rest of my family."

I whispered down to Ava I had noticed as I was speaking to Emmet that she was drifting off to sleep and now I could hear her soft little snores filling the silence in the hallway. At least this will make introducing her easier. I wouldn't like to see how she would react to a large crowd yet if she was terrified of just me. I walked into the living room after waiting for everyone to get settled and my eyes gazed around the room. Everyone was here, mom and dad were standing in the corner and I guessed Esme had informed Carlisle of little Ava from the understanding look on his face. But also Alice and her husband jasper were sat on the love seat with there two sons and baby daughter. Freddy who was five, Monroe who was three and then baby Mia Grace who only presented us with her appearance five months ago. Opposite them sat Emmet with his wife Rosalie with there precious angel Elise who was a long waited addition to there family. They had been trying for close to five years with no luck but now Elise sat there a healthy two year old. Thank god, it was affecting the whole family as well as anyone else who run into Rose. She didn't take the struggle well at all that's for sure. I couldn't imagine what her reaction would be if id have found Ava a few months earlier but I'm guessing it would have ended in a fight for my angel, and now she was in my arms I couldn't imagine her leaving them again. It had made Rose a bit hostile for a while putting strain on her relationship with Alice and Jasper who had managed to pop out two whilst she was waiting for one.

"Everyone I'd like to introduce you to Ava." There was uproar as everyone tried to speak at once creating havoc.

"STOP IT!"

Carlises broad voice came over the commotion, no one speaks until Edward explains." Trust good old Carlisle to silence everyone, he was a well respected member of the family; I guess you could call him our leader the one who kept us all in check.

"As I was saying this is Ava I found her homeless on the streets and made the executive decision to bring her back here. Somewhere safe and warm."

Everyone was nodding along agreeing with my decision until Rose piped up. "What about her mother!" she questioned and in truth until that point I had forgotten about this Bella women who Ava had stated was her mother.

"Oh its all right, she was probably alone anyway we can just keep little one here." Surprisingly it was Esme who said this but luckily Carlisle intervened.

"No Es she probably has her own mother out there imagine if the kids were took away from you, how would you like it?" A look of understanding crossed Esme's face and just listening to carlises words I knew what I had to do.

"Right I'm going to wake Ava up so I need quiet then I am going to introduce her to you all."

"Right and how is this supposed to help find her mother?" Jasper asked me raising his eyebrow like he did not agree with what I was about to do. I didn't exactly agree with it, she looked so cute and all her worry lines disappeared whilst she was asleep, she actually looked her age unlike when she was awake thinking about worries she should be too young to know about.

"Because I am going to get her familiar with you and then leave her here why I go out looking for her mother who is probably going crazy out of her mind looking for her."

"And how do you know there is a mother who loves her. Maybe she's just by herself." If Ava had not told me the name of her mother when we were in the car I just might have been asking the same question Rose had just asked, however I had seen the look when Ava had mentioned her name it was one of longing. Almost like after I had a long shift at the hospital, and just wanted my bed. No, it was one of more desire, if such thing is even possible.

Gently stroking her arm she began to stir. "Ava baby I just want you to meet some people that will look after you for a while ok?" I could almost imagine Avas thoughts looking around an unusual room with six strange people in it scared shitless. Luckily Alice had some sense and sent the children to their playroom so she would not be too overwhelmed. "These are my family ok my brothers and sisters and these are my parents. They are my mommy and daddy." Ava's face had brightened at the word mommy so I took that as a good sign I was doing right by going to look for her however it had darkened when I mentioned daddy so I assumed that was not a pretty past and maybe even the reason they were living on the streets. It was interesting how much information you could gather just by looking at facial reactions. It was something I had to use a lot at the hospital; you would be surprised how many patients I have who try to downplay their symptoms which doesn't help diagnosis at all.

"I'm going to leave you here a bit ok, with my mommy, she will give you some food and a nice bath and some clean clothes all right?" It wasn't like she really had that much choice I needed to find her mother and it had to be me or no one, I was the only one who knew exactly what ally it was and with all the information to explain to Avas mother. I wanted to phrase it as a question though so she didn't feel like she was being abandoned; I doubt her little heart could take much more heartbreak. To be honest I wanted her to panic and not be able to cope with me gone simply because I could then stay and leave her mother be, without the threat of having her took away from me but I knew it wasn't the correct thing to do, after all she wasn't mine.

I instantly regretted asking when tears began to form in her eyes. How could it hurt my heart so much when I had only met her less than an hour ago?

"Yous be back right?" It was only the second time I'd heard her voice but she sounded so smart for what I guessed to be about two or three all I could do was promise, and in a childlike way I pinkie promised her with my little finger as I kissed her cheek, before handing her over to my mother. "I'll be right back gone before you know it and I'll bring mommy with me."

And I was out of the door the quicker I left the quicker I got back. It was only whilst I was driving down the road I realised I had no idea what this woman even looked like. Maybe it would have been a good idea to ask Ava for a simple description. Oh well