Kindle My Heart (Aly, Family)

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Even when Aly felt like dying, life still went on. And on and on. It probably didn't help matters that she was too afraid to have her children in the house with her. If the Templar got their hands on her children...it would be the worst thing she could imagine. Worse than Peter dying. And she knew she should be with them, but she couldn't bring herself to leave Peter's home. At least, not until she had to go to the doctor's for a checkup. That was one of those things about life going on that annoyed Aly. She couldn't just lie in bed and cry (but thank everything for Angie who was taking care of most everything else). She had things she needed to do, and making sure her unborn child was safe was one of them.

It was a bittersweet appointment. Aly got to see her child during the ultrasound and she was told that she and the baby were in very good health. At least as good as Aly's health ever was, and her current circumstances taken in to consideration. And then she was told the sex of her child. Never one to not want to know...she felt that not being prepared for your child like that was an insanely stupid and irresponsible thing to do, when the doctor asked her if she wanted to know, her answer was immediate. It was a girl. She and Peter were having a girl. She'd never had a daughter of her own before. Of course, she considered Tasha, Lydia and Anna as much her daughters and Caleb and Thomas were her sons. But she'd never had a daughter she'd raised from birth. It was exactly what she'd been hoping for. And there was no one to share it with.

Aly left the doctor's office, feeling quite conflicted. And instead of going back home, she finally drove out to her parents house, where her children were staying. The door was answered by Aly's enigmatic mother, Jacinta, who threw her arms around her daughter and began to sob before Aly had even said a word. Behind Jactina, stood Aly's father Edward, looking quite awkward and British. Once Jacinta had finally released her, Edward gave her a much more perfunctory hug. "Oh, my darling. Mi querido. How are you?" Jacinta asked as Edward released his only daughter.

"I'm..." Aly sniffed, and instead of answering, she said, "having a girl."

That light Edward up like nothing else. "A little grandaughter?" She and David sure had given him a lot of grandsons. He wanted a little girl to spoil, as Lydia and Anna were getting past the age where he could buy them princess dresses and fake makeup kits. "Oh, Alyona, congratulations!"

Aly gave her father a brave smile and then she choked and collapsed in to tears. Edward immediately stepped forward and leaned Aly against him. "Jacinta...could you get us some tea please?" He asked, knowing Jacinta would only make Aly's episode worse. They were well used to this by now. After William had died, Aly had moved in. She'd been seven months pregnant and 21 years old. They hadn't believed she should be on her own and Aly had agreed. This though...this they'd never seen coming. "I know it's hard, Aly."

"I keep...seeing how happy he would have been." Aly breathed in to her father's shoulder. "He loved children..he was so excited...god..daddy..."

Edwward moved over to the couch and he sat down, letting Aly lie across his lap. "Your children will never be lacking in love, Alyona. Caleb never was. And look how much your family has expanded since then.

"But...none of them will ever have their father again. He was such a wonderful father." She looked up at him. "I don't know what I would have done without you. Why...why should they have to know?"

"The world isn't fair." Edward stroked Aly's hair. "That Peter should be taken away from all of you is a heinous crime. He was a wonderful father. But your children still have a pretty darn good grandfather." Edward winked. "And they have an amazing uncle. David has such wonderful fatherly instincts...he won't let your children go without feeling like they have a fatherly influence to turn to. And you have Spectre. Who can show your little girl how to accessorise." Aly laughed through her tears. "And manners, Spectre is really very good at manners."

Aly wiped her face and she nodded. "He's really very good at everything. Thank you, Dad..."

"Your welcome, Little Girl."

They sat together quietly, even after Jacinta had brought them the tea and left them alone again. Until finally Caleb slipped in to the room. He looked up at his mother as Aly sat up and held her arms out to him. "Hello, My Darling." She said softly, as Caleb climbed in to her lap.

"I missed you, Mum." He said, leaning in to her.

"I missed you too, Sweetheart." Aly gave Caleb a kiss and Edward stood to go and fetch the other children. Lydia and Anna entered the room shortly thereafter. Lydia, carrying a sleepy little Thomas.

"Mummy!" Anna squealed, jumping on to the sofa and wrapping her arms around Aly's neck. Lydia's arrival was more quiet, but she still leaned against Aly after depositing the baby in Aly's arms. Aly wrapped her arms around the four of them the best she could.

"Hello, Lydia. Anna. I love you." She kissed their heads too and then she leaned down to nuzzle the adorable little Thomas. "And you, my little treasure."

"He totally spit on me." Lydia said, looking less than amused.

"I'm sure didn't do it on purpose." Aly said, touching Lydia's nose.

"He's like a spit factory..."

Aly chuckled. "Yes, they do do that." She gazed at them all fondly, feeling oddly satisfied for the first time since Peter's death. Her children had an amazing way of doing that. She didn't want to, but she could go on like this. Be the parent for them alone. Tasha wasn't here and her daughter wasn't born yet, but they could be a family just like this. And she smiled sadly to herself. "You're going to have a little sister."

Aly's ears were filled with squeals of happiness and three pairs of hands were instantly on her belly. She held Thomas out of the way as Caleb, Lydia and Anna immediately proceeded to talk to their little sister, telling her all the things she would get to do after she was born. Thomas gurgled happily, pleased to be back in his mother's arms.

And they went on like that, Aly feeling more alive than she had in days. Even still, after lunch and while her children were napping or doing homework, Aly snuck out of the house and headed towards the townhouse she knew Dietrich had just purchased. She wanted to see him. She didn't want the feeling to go away.