Chapter 28: First Words and BooBoos

"God, she's getting big," Jasper said, keeping Little One still as she sat on the counter top at the nurses' station. "Can you say Uncle Jasper!"

I laughed, reading through the post-ops from last night. "She won't even say daddy, so don't get your hopes up. Blow him a kiss, Little One."

She put her hand to her mouth and pushed it away, giggling. Bella and I had been working on teaching her that, and she was pretty damn good — almost always did it when we asked.

"You are too damn adorable," he said. "How old is she now? Nine months?"

I nodded. "Yep, as of two days ago."

"Oh my god, you brought your baby!" Jessica, one of the nurses said as she hurried over. "She is so cute!"

I smiled proudly as she cooed, playing around with my daughter. "My girlfriend is coming to get her in a little bit," I said. "She has the day off, so I figured I'd bring Sofia in while she had breakfast with a friend."

"Watch this," Jasper said. "Blow her a kiss, Sofia!"

He was acting like a fucking idiot, but considering the fact that Alice said yes to him last night, his good mood was expected. Yes, after months of mulling it over, he finally got up the balls to ask her. Bella's phone rang at ten something last night, just as I was about to make her scream my name. She didn't answer until the third time, but when she did, I could clearly hear Alice's screaming.

Since they had the day off, she and Alice met for breakfast this morning. I had already told the daycare that Little One wouldn't be coming, so we decided I'd bring Sofia with me this morning because I didn't have any surgeries scheduled. Bella would be picking her up in an hour, but in the meantime, I soaked up all the attention Little One was bringing.

I fucking loved when people called her cute. It was true, after all.

"Unlike your dad, I actually have to work," Jasper said, picking her up and passing her over to me across the counter. "Bye, Sofia."

I buckled her into the car seat next to me on the floor and went back to my charts. Dad came by not long after and took her out again, saying he wanted to show her off.

"I'll have her back soon," he said. "Besides, you have patients to see."

I nodded. "I was going in a minute. I figured a nurse would want her," I laughed.

He kissed her cheek as she grabbed a hold of his stethoscope. The kid fucking loved shiny things. "Well, she's mine now. Aren't you, precious?"

Once he left, I got up and made rounds, making sure the patients on the surgical floor were doing all right and checking them out. It wasn't until I was checking on an older woman that it was pointed out I had one of Little One's small toys in my pocket.

Needless to say, I quickly took out my phone and showed her a picture. "She's here today, actually," I said. "I think she loves all the attention."

"Oh, I bet she does," she said, smiling. "I have a grandson her age."

"Does he talk?"

It wasn't that I was worried Little One hadn't talked yet . . . but I was anxious for it to happen. I wanted that "daddy". She was nine months old, after all. She had so many developmental milestones happening all the time, but I was most looking forward to this. Walking . . . I didn't need that anytime soon, let's just say.

She nodded, making me a little jealous. "He just started not long ago, but now he won't be quiet," she laughed. "My son and daughter-in-law didn't realize that once they start, there's no stopping them. Is yours talking?"

"Not yet." I shook my head. "She's babbling a lot, but hasn't really talked."

"It'll come."

I stood up from her bed, opening her chart again and making notes on her progress. She was doing well after her cholecystectomy — gallbladder surgery — and would be leaving the hospital tomorrow, most likely. After checking on the other patients, I went to find Dad and my kid. He was showing her off at the ICU nurses' station. Jasper was there, telling him about getting engaged.

"That's great, Jasper," Dad said, patting him on the shoulder. "Congratulations. Esme will be thrilled to know that."

"Thank you, sir," Jasper said. "And damn, looks who's back for the cute kid."

Little One held her arms out for me, squealing in delight as I took her from Dad. "Bella will be here soon, so excuse me for stealing my kid back," I said. "Who the hell gave her a pen?"

I took it from her hand, and she started crying, wanting it back.

"It was that or the stethoscope," Dad said. "Besides, I took the ink out of it. Let her play."

I gave it back to her, and she babbled happily, sticking it in her mouth and chewing on it. I watched her carefully, though, making sure she wouldn't choke herself. By the time Bella texted that she was downstairs, Little One had gotten bored and dropped it, taking her toy back out of my pocket.

"Goodbye, precious girl," Dad said, kissing her cheek. "I'll see you soon."

. . . . .

Bella was waiting for me in the lobby, so we went down there after grabbing the car seat and diaper bag. Little One didn't like being put in the car seat and wound up crying all the way downstairs. I fucking hated letting her cry, but she didn't have a choice.

"Aww, you brought me a crying baby?" Bella asked, frowning as I set the car seat down. She took her out, and of course Little One stopped. "What did Daddy do to you?"

I leaned down, kissing her before tickling Sofia's belly, making her giggle a little. "I didn't do anything," I said. "She got too much attention and now only wants to be held, so good luck with that."

"Oh, that's great. So, I take it she's been good?"

I nodded. "Yep, she was shown off to just about everyone in the hospital. It's a consensus that she's the cutest baby in the world, which I already knew."

She laughed. "Well, of course! How's your day been?"

"Easy so far, but I have surgery here soon. I should be home around seven, but I might be late."

"I'll keep a plate in the microwave." She smiled. "Ready to go home, baby girl?"

"Bye, Little One," I said, kissing my daughter's cheek and blowing a raspberry on it. "Be good for Momma. I love you."

After our talk a while back, I had been referring to Bella as momma, hoping Little One would adjust to it and someday call her that. It was a little weird at first, but it just fit her. Bella was momma. Period.

"Blow Daddy a kiss!" Bella said.

Little One blew me one, and even though I looked like a moron, I caught it. She babbled on as Bella put her in the car seat again. No tears, thankfully. After kissing Bella goodbye, I went back upstairs to see my pre-op patients.

. . . . .

My day had been normal, filled with simple procedures, which ended with all my patients coming through without complications. Around five, though, a trauma came in and I was stuck in the OR for an hour past my shift. Little One was still up and cheerful by the time I got home, so it wasn't a big deal.

I ate in the living room while I watched her and Bella play with some toys. Little One fucking loved the one that made animals sounds. Bella would pull the string and Little One would bounce on her bottom when it went off, mooing or barking. The squeaking sounds she made had me laughing my ass off with Bella. The kid was too damn cute.

After putting my plate away, I got on the floor with them. We pulled out the blocks, and I helped Little One stack them together, pushing the pieces on top of each other. She decided she'd rather throw them, though. At me.

I picked her up and laid her on her back, tickling her belly as she giggled and kicked her little feet. "I've got you!" I laughed. "Throwing blocks at Daddy is a no-no."

Bella took her, putting her in her lap as she kissed her cheek. "Say, but it's fun, Daddy."

I cocked my head, smirking. "Oh, you think it's funny when she throws blocks at me? What if she hit my gorgeous face?"

"Then I guess you'd be a little less gorgeous, wouldn't you?" she laughed. "Tell Daddy he's a silly, silly man."

"Dada!"

Bella and I froze, staring at Little One. She just . . . And she was looking at me. Holy shit, that wasn't just another babble. "Say it again, baby girl," I said, wide eyed and grinning. "Say Dada."

She pointed at me, all smiles and said, "Dada!"

"Oh my god!" Bella said. "Where's your phone? Where's my phone?"

She passed me Sofia and ran for the end table, grabbing her phone and holding it up. I kissed Little One's head over and over as she repeated herself. Did she actually mean me? I wasn't sure, but it seemed like it. The books said it was possible at this age to actually mean it, but then again, it could be just babbling. She had babbled that before, but never directed at me.

"Her first word was Dada!" I said. "Holy shi—crap! Bella, are you getting this?"

Bella nodded, grinning as she sat in front of us with her phone. "Who's Daddy, Sofia?"

Little One giggled, clapping her hands.

"Am I Daddy?" I asked as she looked up at me.

"Dada!"

I laughed, lifting her up above me as she kicked her feet. "Yeah, I'm Daddy, Little One. God, you're so smart."

Bella and I continued to play with her for a while until it was bath time. I was so fucking happy. My kid called me dada, and I truly believed she meant it. After bathing and changing her, I rocked her until she fell asleep, which didn't take long.

I laid her down in the crib, kissing her forehead. "Thank you, Little One. I love you."

When I came out to the living room, Bella was on her laptop, but shut it once I sat down. She lay against me, and I wrapped my arms around her, kissing her.

When we parted, I grinned and said, "She called me dada."

She nodded. "Yes, she did."

"I think she meant it, too. I mean, she even pointed at me."

She laughed softly. "You're the happiest man in the world right now, aren't you?"

"Hell yes, I am. Next, we'll have to get her to say momma."

"Yeah?" She smiled, and I nodded. "I'd really, really like that."

"I've been trying to call you that to her more, so maybe it'll catch on soon."

"Oh, I hope so," she sighed, holding me close. "So, how was your day?"

Like we always did, I told Bella about my day and she told me about hers. She and Alice made plans for dinner and drinks this week to celebrate the engagement. Life seemed to be moving at such a fast pace, but it was all so good.

. . . . .

"Yeah, she totally meant it," Emmett said, watching the video of Little One calling me daddy.

"I know, right?" I asked. "She even pointed at me before we started recording."

He laughed, passing me my phone back. "You are so much worse than I was."

"I second that," Jasper said, eating his burger.

I rolled my eyes, playing the video again for myself. "Maybe I am, but she's the cutest kid in the world. This is a big fucking deal. She's talking."

Emmett laughed, shaking his head. "I should have Rosalie put Ben on the phone. He doesn't shut up. Pretty soon you'll be wishing you never taught her to talk, just like you already wish she never learned to crawl. It all comes back to bite you in the ass. Mark my words."

My phone started ringing, so I grabbed it off my hip. I found Bella's name and quickly put it to my ear. "Hey, what's up? Are you and Sofia home?"

"Edward, I . . . I'm so sorry," she said as I heard Little One screaming in the background. "I looked away for a second, and she was on her feet, and then she . . . she wasn't. It's deep and—"

"What's deep? Why's she screaming like that, Bella?" I asked, furrowing my brow in concern.

"Sofia stood up, but she lost her balance and hit her forehead on the coffee table. She has a cut and it looks deep. I can't get the bleeding to stop. We're on our way there."

"What's going on?" Jasper asked.

"Sofia's hurt," I said, standing up and starting to head to the ER. "Did she lose consciousness, Bella?"

"No, she was crying right away. I got the first aid kit out and covered it, but it's bleeding so badly."

"Head wounds bleed heavily. You'll be here soon, right?"

"Yeah, in a few minutes. I'm so sorry, Edward."

I took a deep breath because I felt like I was having a fucking panic attack. Little One was hurt. Jesus Christ, I just wanted her to be here already. "It's not your fault, Bella," I said as I came to the admittance desk. "I need you to page Dr. Carlisle Cullen for me."

I could still hear Little One screaming and crying. It was fucking killing me, but I didn't want to get off the phone with Bella. Jasper and Emmett had followed me to the ER, but had to get back to work, so I told them I'd let them know what was going on. By the time Bella and Little One got to the ER, I had already gotten an exam room and Dad should have been down soon. When I got Little One out of the car seat, the bandage above her left eye was soaked with blood, and for the first time in my life, I felt sick from the sightof it.

"Shh, Daddy's got you," I said, rubbing her back as I walked into the ER with Bella behind me.

"Dada," she cried, holding onto my neck for dear life.

"I looked away for a second, Edward," Bella said, crying as I laid Little One down on the gurney. I grabbed gloves and pulled the bandage off, examining the inch long gash above her eye. It would need sutures, but the fact that she hadn't lost consciousness was a good sign.

I checked her pupils as she screamed at me. They were equal and reactive — another very good sign. "I don't think she has a concussion," I said, sighing in relief. "She needs sutures, though."

Bella nodded, wiping her cheeks. "The phone rang . . . I left her there for a second to grab it. She must have pulled herself up using the coffee table."

"What happened?" Dad asked, rushing into the room. He basically pushed me out of the way to get to Little One.

"She stood up and lost her balance, hitting her head on the coffee table," I said. "There are no signs of a concussion, but . . . I don't know, Dad."

I pulled the gloves off and took Bella's hand, squeezing it tightly as Dad checked Little One's head. He came to the same conclusion I did, saying she just needed a few sutures, but would be fine. Still, the sight of Little One crying and bleeding made me want to curl up in the fetal position. I had never been so scared in my life.

"I'm going to grab a nurse, all right, son?" Dad asked, patting me on the shoulder. "Accidents happen, but she'll be fine. Try to calm her down for me. I'll do the sutures myself."

I nodded, going to sit on the gurney next to Bella — who had Little One in her arms. She passed Sofia to me, and I wiped my daughter's tears from her bright red cheeks. I grabbed a piece of gauze from the tray and dabbed away the blood as best I could.

"You're okay, Little One," I whispered, kissing the top of her head. "Grandpa's going to make you all better."

"I am so sorry," Bella said once more.

I looked up at her and took her hand. "It's not your fault. I leave her on the floor sometimes for a few seconds, so it easily could have happened with me, too. Hell, it almost has, remember?"

"You're not mad at me?"

I shook my head. "Of course not. I've never been so scared in my life, though."

"Me too," she sighed. "When I heard that thump, and then her crying, I thought my heart had stopped. There was so much blood."

I put my arm around her, pulling her close as I held Little One to my chest. Her crying had eased some, but she still whimpered. Her little hands had my scrub top in a steel grip, it seemed.

When Dad came back with a nurse, Bella stood up from the gurney and I kept Little One still in my lap. She tried to squirm and screamed as he applied the topical anesthetic first before injecting the lidocaine. She hated every moment of it, and I hated having to hold her down. I couldn't even stand to watch as he did the sutures. Bella's hand was on my shoulder, gripping it tightly and offering me comfort. She looked so damn sorry, even though I told her over and over that it wasn't her fault.

I couldn't blame Bella for this because like I had said, Little One had almost bumped her head a few times with me on that coffee table. Needless to say, I was throwing the fucking thing out. Even with baby proofing, it still hurt Little One.

"All right, I'm done," Dad said, cutting the thread. He spread antibacterial ointment over the sutures and covered it with a bandage. "I used small thread and kept them close together, so hopefully the scar won't be too noticeable. She's young, so it should heal just fine."

I nodded, adjusting Little One so her head could lie on my shoulder. "Thank you, Dad."

He smiled. "You're welcome. Watch her closely tonight, all right? I'll get someone to cover the rest of your shift, so you can go home with her."

"I really appreciate it."

He rubbed Little One's back and kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry for upsetting you, precious girl. Next time you decide you'd like to stand, wait for your daddy or mommy."

"Thank you, Carlisle," Bella said.

"Of course, sweetheart," he said, hugging her. "Don't beat yourself up over this, okay? Accidents happen all the time, and truthfully, it could have been much worse."

. . . . .

Since I had the rest if the day off, I took Little One home with me as Bella drove her car. I didn't want to let the kid out of my sight, to be honest. By the time we got home and I had given her the children's Tylenol Dad had suggested, she was acting like nothing had happened.

"Is it safe for her to nap?" Bella asked as we bathed Little One in the sink, cleaning the dried blood off of her neck and chest.

I nodded, gently running the washcloth over her chest. "Yeah, but I think I want to keep her around us while she does, just in case."

Little One giggled and splashed the water, sending droplets all over us. "She's certainly acting like her normal self," Bella laughed. "You're our happy girl again, aren't you?"

"Dada!" she said, pressing her went hand against my shirt.

"Yes, I'm Dada," I chuckled, picking her up. I blew a raspberry on her belly, making her giggle my name over and over.

God, I loved the sound of that.

Once she was dried off and changed, Bella and I sat down on the couch with her, leaving the TV off. As Bella rubbed her belly softly, she sighed contentedly and slowly drifted off.

"I can't believe I let her get hurt," Bella said, frowning. "I always watch her so closely, and the one time I leave her on the floor, this happens. How do you not hate me?"

My brow furrowed. "I could never hate you, Bella. Now that she's trying to stand, we'll just have to watch her even more closely. That thing's getting thrown out on trash day, though." I nodded to the table.

She smiled a little, nodding. "I've been considering a sledgehammer, actually."

I laughed, leaning down to kiss her. "I like the way you think. Its crime should be punishable by death, huh?"

"Yep. Nothing hurts our little girl and lives."

"Bubble wrap is still too much, right?" I asked, smirking.

She shrugged. "I think they sell it by the foot."

We laughed softly, and I moved my arm around her as she laid her head on my shoulder. We just sat there, watching Little One nap for an hour and a half. Even though I fucking hated that she had gotten hurt, Little One had pulled herself up on her own today. It was a huge step, and I really wasn't ready for it. There would be more tumbles and probably a few bruises, but I'd have to let it happen.

Little One was getting older, and I had a feeling that I'd be getting grey hair because of it.