Blended Family

Chapter Fifteen

It took time for Felix, Alec and Jane to get used to Ellie walking around the elite guard floor of the castle, having gotten used to her crawling around. It also surprised them how quickly her speech developed considering her age. "What you doing?" Ellie asked Jane "I'm reading" She replied "Why?" "I have some time off from guard duty and I like to read" Jane responded. "Awec, what you doing?" Ellie asked "Drawing" Alec answered with a smile "What you drawing?" "The castle" He replied "Why?" Alec chuckled "You're full of questions aren't you little one?" Alec asked and Ellie nodded and smiled.

"Her speech is coming along quickly isn't it?" Jane asked Sophie "I think it helps being around Nico. According to the baby book, children's speech comes along quicker if they have 'older' siblings" Sophie explains "I did say I'd teach her to talk once you moved in mummy" Nico added "Yes, yes you did sweetie" Sophie nodded smiling "It's better now because Ellie can tell us what she wants, what she likes and what she doesn't" Nico added "It also means that she asks a lot of questions" Demetri said as he entered the room hearing Ellie asking Jane and Alec question after question. "Daddy" Ellie called out, her eyes lighting up and she ran to Demetri, who picked her up "Where you been?" She asked and he smiled but shook his head a little "The correct way to ask is 'where have you been?'" Demetri replied softly "I said that daddy" She replied smiling "You missed out the word 'have' princess" She nodded and thought for a moment "Where have you been?" Ellie asked, making sure she said 'have' "I have been on guard duty in the throne room" He replied "Why?" "That's part of my job princess" "What's a job?" "A job is something I do to earn money so I can look after you, Nico and mummy and buy you all nice things" "Like my dollhouse?" "Exactly" "Missed you daddy" "Ahh I missed you too" He kissed her cheek. "Love you daddy" She kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck "Love you too" He kissed her head. "I think Demi talking to her like she's a little grown-up probably helps too Jane" Sophie told her smiling and Jane nodded.

Time Skip – Ellie at 3 years old

Ellie was sitting beside Demetri on the sofa watching a movie when she suddenly climbed on his lap and placed her little hands on his cheeks, looking into his ruby red eyes "Daddy, why are your eyes red?" He placed his hands on her cheeks, looking back at her and replied "Ellie, why are your eyes green?" "Na-uh" She shook her head "I asked first daddy" Nico chuckled and turned to watch his dad and sister have a mini stare off. "Ok, my eyes are red because that's the colour they were when I was born" He replied, his answer not a complete lie as his eyes have been red since he was reborn as a vampire. Nico smiled at his dad's answer and watched Ellie's reaction, she leaned closer and smiled "You have pretty eyes daddy" Nico laughed so hard he nearly fell off the chair "What's so funny sweetie?" Sophie asks as she enters the room "El-Ellie th-thinks dad-daddy has pr-pretty eyes" He says between giggles, Ellie looks between her dad and her brother "What's so funny?" "Nothing princess, Nico's just being silly" Demetri growls low, Nico shakes his head "I love you Ellie" He says once he stops laughing "Wait till I tell Uncle Felix" "Nico" Demetri growls "Oh Demi, come on. Ellie's right you do have pretty eyes" Sophie says smiling, giving him a playful wink, he growls again but flashes Sophie a smile "You have beautiful eyes mi amore." "My eyes are green like mummy's" Ellie said answering his earlier question "Yes, they are and they too are beautiful" He kisses her forehead as her cheeks blush pink "I think Nico's blue eyes are pretty too" Sophie said as she sat down beside him "Thanks mummy" His cheeks blush pink too.

The following afternoon Sophie had gone shopping with Heidi and Corin, leaving the children with Demetri, although Felix 'borrowed' Nico for a game of Mario Kart. Demetri was getting ready for guard duty later that evening, Ellie watching him and asking questions. "Daddy why are your hands so cold?" "They just are, no reason" He replied, Ellie shook her head and stood up on the sofa "Bend down please" He did as she asked and he felt her warm hand against his forehead, he watched her closely almost seeing little brain trying work it out. She lifted his shirt up and placed her warm hand on his stomach "Daddy, you're cold all over and I know why" She said "Ok, why am I always cold?" He asked curious at what her little brain had come up with "You're poorly and need looking after. Come on" She carefully climbed off the sofa and took his hand in hers, walking out of the closet, him allowing her to 'pull' him along, an amused smile on his face. She led him over to the bed "Get in please" She pointed to the bed "Ellie..." He started and she shook her head "No buts daddy. You're not well and need to stay in bed" She told him and he smiled at her, remembering what Sophie had told Nico the previous week when he felt unwell. He climbed into bed and pulled the duvet over him "I'll be right back" She walked to the doorway and called out "Uncle Felix, I need you" Demetri heard Felix's footsteps as he called back "How can I help?" "Daddy's not well and cannot go to his job today..." "Ellie..." "No daddy. I'm looking after you as mummy's not here" She said looking back at him, Felix had a huge grin on his face "What's wrong with daddy?" He asked "He's cold all over, I think he caught a chill like Nico did last week" Felix smiled at his friend before looking down at Ellie "Ok, what can I do to help daddy get better?" He asked, Demetri growled at him but he ignored it "Please can you light the fireplace and can you please ask Gianna to fill my hot water bottle?" "Of course, I can little one" He watched as Ellie ran into her room to get the hot water bottle and lit the fire "Felix..." "No D, you rest up and I'll let the Kings know you won't be reporting to duty under Ellie's orders" He chuckled "You're loving this" Demetri replied "You decided she was too young to know the truth...pretty eyes" Felix smirked "When I get hold of you..." He didn't finish the sentence as Ellie re-entered the room with her hot water bottle, complete with a teddy bear cover.

Ten minutes later Felix returned with the hot water bottle and handed it to Ellie, who was now sitting beside Demetri under the duvet with a selection of her storybooks. "Thank you, Uncle Felix" "Anything for you...and daddy" He handed her a blanket off the back of the sofa "In case daddy needs this too. He needs to stay warm after all" Demetri growled at him "Daddy, be nice, he's helping me" Felix smiled and headed for the door "If you need me call me" Felix returned to his room and told Nico all about Demetri being unwell and that he was on bedrest under Ellie's orders "He should just tell her the truth" Nico said "Yes, he should but you got to admit, this is pretty funny though" Nico nodded in agreement.

Marcus decided to go to Demetri's room to check on him as he was the only one that had stopped laughing enough to do so. Aro and Caius finding it hilarious that Demetri was taking a 'sick' day when vampires can't get sick "Ellie doesn't know what we are and that we can't get sick. She is imitating Sophie's actions from last week with Nico" Marcus said once he had stopped laughing "Well, we best be careful not to get too close to Ellie or she'll have us on bedrest too" Caius mused "Sweet little human" Aro added before laughing again, remembering the image he saw in Felix's head of Demetri wrapped up in bed with a teddy bear hot water bottle.

Marcus knocked on the door gently and pushed it open "May I come in?" "Of course, grandpa" He smiled at her before whispering "How's daddy?" Ellie looked down at a 'sleeping' Demetri, he had closed his eyes and pretended to sleep after Ellie told him a nap may help him feel better. "He's still a little cold but he's having a nap" She turned back to look at Marcus, who smiled at her "You're doing a very good job of looking after him whilst mummy is out" "Thank you grandpa" She replied proudly. Demetri smiled too, both proud and amused by Ellie's actions.

Sophie arrived back at the castle with Heidi and Corin and was filled in on the afternoon's activities by Felix and Nico. Sophie was laughing, tears filling her eyes "Let me get this straight, my three-year-old daughter thinks her daddy is poorly and made him take a 'sick' day" Felix nodded, a wide grin on his face "And he is currently wrapped up in bed with blankets and her teddy bear hot water bottle" She added, clearly amused "The best bit though mummy, has to be that she made him take a nap" Nico chuckled, tears falling down his cheeks "I love that little human" Heidi added as she re-entered Felix's room "I just managed to snap a picture of a 'sleeping' Demetri with the hot water bottle" She passed her phone around, laughter filling the room. "Priceless. Please send me a copy of that picture" Felix said grinning "Me too please Heidi" Sophie added. Demetri could hear everything from Felix's room as they shared a wall and couldn't believe how funny Sophie found his situation.

"Come on you two, bedtime" Sophie called out to Ellie and Nico "But I'm looking after daddy" "I know and you've done a great job hunny, but you need to go to bed. I'll look after him now" Sophie replied. Ellie kissed Demetri's cheek "Goodnight daddy" "Goodnight princess" "Ok mummy but remember...no cuddling daddy or you'll get sick too" Ellie told her as they left the room "Night daddy" "Night buddy." Felix's booming laughter could be heard from his room, him finding it funny that Ellie told Sophie she can't cuddle her mate, the way she told Ellie the previous week that she couldn't cuddle Nico. "I'm going to kill you Fe" Demetri threatened through the wall "Maybe...once you're better" He replied.

The Kings decided it was probably time to tell Ellie about them as she was noticing more differences between herself and the other occupants of the castle, all of whom knew about Ellie taking care of a poorly Demetri, thanks to Felix. Some of the guards teased him for it, others found her actions sweet and told him how much of a credit she was to him and Sophie. "Demetri, we are giving you permission to tell Ellie about us. How much you tell her is up to you" Aro told him "You trust a three-year-old to keep our secret?" He asked "Yes, we do. Ellie lives here with us and has no one to tell our secret to" Caius added, Demetri noted the amused glint in his eyes "So how are you feeling, better I hope?" "Caius!" Athenodora chided gently "Sorry love, couldn't resist" He replied smiling "I'm feeling much better, master. Thank you for asking" Demetri told him playing along, light laughter filling the throne room.