The Various Emotions of Leah and Edward

Part 6: Simply Skylar

Edward's POV

I've lived over a century and I honestly thought that there was nothing on this earth that could surprise me. At least that's how I felt before becoming a parent. Each of my daughters were full of their own set of surprises. My girls had been in my life for a little over three years and looked like preteens. Their minds were very mature but in very different ways. I was constantly in awe of how different they were, their appearance was their only similarity and that had changed some. My little Lizzie, who now preferred to go by Liz or Beth, sported at shoulder length hair cut like my wife. Skylar she wore her hair down her back and she was so quiet, however her thoughts were very deep yet blunt at the same time. I don't know what caused me to look out my window in the middle of the night but I stood there watching as my daughter walked out into the backyard, she stood for a moment, and then continued her travels deep into the forest.

I was completely thrown and unnerved. I listened to her thoughts and my fear was now heightened.

There's nothing special about me. They got it right the first time with Liz. There's no need for me to be here.

She thought to herself as she walked further into the night. I was on her trail but I didn't want her to know I was behind her. I knew my child was smart and even though she was obviously depressed she wasn't suicidal. She just needed the time to think things through. Sky brushed her fingers against the bark of a couple of trees before finally sinking down and sitting on the ground. She let out a sigh and after a few moments I felt the earth shake under my feet. I took in a familiar smell and then there he was.

"Hey Jake," she muttered.

"You should tell your parents about this you know," he responded before sitting down beside her.

"Dad knows, how could he not know about what I've been feeling? He reads minds for crying out loud!" She fumed and Jake just stared at her.

"If I'm remembering correctly you told me you don't feel like this all the time. Maybe it's only when you're alone and the house is quiet that you begin to feel … what is it that you feel exactly Sky? You never really put into words except to say that you're depressed. Sky looked at Jacob and then she picked at her shorts. She mulled his question over in her mind and began to bite at her fingernails, it was a nasty habit she refused to break.

"I feel inadequate compared to my sister. I feel like I'm an unnecessary piece of flesh hanging onto the coattails of my damned near perfect sister." I could hear the anger and tears in her voice. "My parents would never admit it but they both prefer her to me. I just know they do. I'm not saying my parents and my family don't love me. I'm just saying if they had to choose. They'd chose Liz."

"Bull shit," Jacob blurted out and my young daughter eyes widened at his use of profanity.

"I'm sorry Sky but I call bull shit. I know Leah and I've heard about how she sings your praises. Yeah Liz can phase and you can't … but personally I know Leah envies you for it. Your mother never asked to be immortal and she didn't want to burden either of children with the curse of phasing because even though there are some positives to phasing, it's still a pretty painful thing to experience." The two sat in silence and Sky rested her head on Jacob's shoulder and he didn't seem to mind. I thought it was a little odd. Why was he so comfortable with my daughter?

"Maybe I'm just jealous of her," Sky confessed quietly.

"Yeah … you are, but you shouldn't be. You're pretty damned perfect Sky. You're a great kid." Sky snorted at the commit and scrambled to her feet. Jacob and I both looked at her confused.

"I'm not a kid!"

"Yes you are," he reminded her.

"Only because I look like this. I don't feel this way Jake … I feel older." He rolled her eyes and he got up too.

"Are we back on this again? You know what happens when you try to have the conversation with me Sky. You've become … the closest friend I have in Forks and I find that crazy because … you are so young, but I relate to you and I hurt when you hurt. I know that you're going through all this alone and I want to be there for you but you need to forget about this little crush. Okay?" Tears threatened to run down my daughter's face and Jacob had to turn away from her. "I guess I should go," he muttered quietly. He started to walk away.

"What about when I'm older Jake?" She asked and he held his hand up.

"Please let this go Sky and talk to your parents about the stuff you have going on now, even better talk to your sister. As much as I hate to do this Sky this is the last time I can meet you out here like this. I don't want you to think something is mutual between us when it isn't. You're my very best friend but I … I don't view you that way." He approached my daughter who had finally began to cry. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the forehead.

"For what it's worth, you're my favorite, don't forget that Sky." Jacob ran out into the night and Skylar sat back down and cradled her face in her hands as she cried. I didn't know what to do I wasn't supposed to be here yet here I was watching my daughter experience her first heartbreak. I knew if I were to go to her she would hate me for following her out here. I knew I should leave but I couldn't leave her this way. After a few minutes she finally focused into my scent and she was looking straight at me. She glared at me and at first I was 100% right about her reaction and then she did something I didn't expect. She ran to me and gripped me tightly as she began to sob. I wrapped in my arms and my love.

"It's okay young one." She was shaking violently as she cried and then I noticed her temperature rising. I pulled away from her and within seconds she was phasing before my eyes. She shook her head a couple of times and then let out a brash roar. I took a couple of steps back. My daughter was magnificent and extraordinary. Of course I already knew this but this was just more proof of her excellence.