They had been searching eighty-five years for her, Mary Alice Brandon. Though when they finally found her; they found much more than they ever expected. Hero had always had an aversion to doctors... Until she fell in love with one.
Carlisle Cullen X...
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BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI, 1901
The sun shimmered brightly in the sky on that random mid-August morning, to all the world, it was frightfully uneventful but to little Simon Kelly- it was a day that would no doubt change his life. His short red corkscrew curls bounced gently against the top of his head where he sat excitably on the porch steps of his family home, eagerly watching the world drift by. He had only been five then but would undoubtedly remember that day better than any other because it was the day he finally got to meet his baby sibling.
"Simon" his father's voice clipped and the boys' ocean green eyes whipped around at a startling speed, Joseph Kelly was a stern man, a man who harnessed a certain distaste for his own son even then, at aged five. Simon was dreamy, his thoughts thrown away carelessly into the wind, but the most terrifying thing was when he spoke to things that Joseph could not see. 'All children had imaginary friends, especially the children who have nobody else to play with' it had been assured but Joseph knew better because young Simon was not imagining sweet little boys to play with- he was imagining much darker things. Simon told tales of men who had been killed, women who died of illness- he told tales of people, in a large varying degree... Who were dead. Young Simon Kelly claimed to see the dead... "She is here"
"She? A sister?" Simon beamed, eyes wise beyond his years. Joseph could only raise one discontented eyebrow before he turned on his heel and re-entered his home. An ordinary five-year-old boy would have wanted a brother to play with- Joseph himself had certainly wanted another boy, one he could actually boast about and be proud of. To Joseph Kelly, his oldest child was nothing more than an embarrassment. Many things became obvious to Simon in an instant as he entered his mother's room.
There was something strange lingering in the air, something a boy his age should not have noticed, let alone recognised. The pretty white bedroom, smelt like death and when he looked up at his mother with her marvellous auburn curls pulled back messily- she looked just like many of the people he had seen. Poppy Kelly looked as though she was dying. But she had nothing but a bright smile on her weakened features as she looked up at her precious boy, gesturing him forward eagerly to show off the bundle in her arms.
"Come and see your sister, my Darling boy" she gushed and he didn't need to be told twice as he clambered inelegantly up the side of the bed to snuggle into his mother- Simon Kelly hadn't been afraid of death then, he hadn't known the issue of it, nobody he loved had ever left and those who had- he could continue to see whenever he pleased. That was why, when his small body tucked close to his mothers overheated one, he didn't understand the solemn expressions that filtered through the room.
"She looks like Auntie Heather" he gushed eagerly, green eyes staring at the baby who to him, was utterly beautiful even with her face screwed up in sleep. Poppy Kelly said nothing as she stroked her son's cheek gently, but she felt the furious gaze of her husband bearing into her cheek. Poppy's sister, Heather had passed away... When she was six, dying of pneumonia, there was no way for Simon to know what his 'Auntie Heather' had even looked like... But he did. As Poppy looked downwards at the face of her daughter, she could see where he had drawn the comparisons from and it awed her, even whilst it infuriated Joseph.
"What is her name Momma?"
"Her name is Hero" Poppy returned with certainty and Simon grinned.
"No, her name is Victoria." Joseph snapped in response, easily ignored by his wife who favoured a more 'unique' name for her precious daughter. Joseph was a classic gentleman, and that reflected through in everything he did. Joseph Kelly would never be caught calling his only daughter 'Hero'.
"Her name is Victoria Hero Kelly but you and I will call her Hero, won't we Simon. She's our little Hero. Hero means Defender, Protector." Poppy gushed to her son and the red-headed boy grinned excitedly as he reached his small chubby hand across to pat the blankets gently, not entirely certain what one does with a baby.
"Hero doesn't need to be a defender, Momma. Because she will always have me, I will always look after her." he grinned, eyes glittering and she stared at him for a long moment, tears welling in her sparkling emerald green eyes because she knew. She knew that she wasn't going to be there to watch her babies grow older and that was the part that scared her the most. It wasn't the pain or the uncertainty of death that scared her... It was the fact that Poppy would be leaving her children behind, to be raised alone by Joseph. She was proud to at least be leaving them behind together.
"Hero is very lucky to have you, Simon. Remember that, okay? You will always have her and she will always have you" she gushed out in a singular breath, feeling her own life slip away slowly. Poppy Kelly was destined to die of childbirth but when she looked at the children she produced- it all became completely and utterly worth it.
"It is okay Momma, you won't be gone. Not really. You are going to be with Auntie Heather, she is very excited to see you again" he piped, looking her sincerely in the eyes and as painful of a thing as he had said, a thing he should not have known, it calmed her incredibly as she passed baby Hero to the waiting arms of Joseph. That had been the first and last time Poppy Kelly would ever hold Victoria Hero Kelly.
Authors note: Hi everyone, this story jumps about a lot so be sure to take note of what time we're in- I will always have that written at the top for you. I hope you're enjoying the story so far.
