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
Simon hummed gently, legs swinging where he sat in his mothers rocking chair. Beside him, awake though silent, was Victoria Hero Kelly, eyes now open and assessing the world with a babbling fascination. They were alone for the very first time in her life and Simon's green eyes watched her happily as though she was his most favourite toy, the toy he had asked hundreds of times for and only just been given. It was silent in the hot room- But elsewhere in the house, very less silent communications occurred as their neighbours flowed through, visiting the new child and her mother who was still yet to leave her bed.
"You are never going to be alone, Hero. Because you always have me" he promised, before breaking into song, singing the words of the lullaby his mother had so often sung to him. The new Kelly's eyes brightened by the sounds of the words as fresh air blew in through the open windows, dancing with the pale-coloured curtains."Good evening, good night, With roses covered, With cloves adorned, Slip under the covers. Tomorrow morning, if God wills, you will wake once again. Good evening, good night. By angels watched, Who show you in your dream; the Christ-child's tree. Sleep now blissfully and sweetly, see the paradise in your dream."
Little Simon Kelly was so excited to see his new baby sisters eyes flutter shut that he very nearly laughed out loudly; though, in a bid to not wake her up so soon, he pressed his hand over his mouth, snickering away adorably as his green eyes searched the room for another source of entertainment now that she slept soundly.
"Mother" he beamed, eyes bright as he saw her stood there; her own expression of awe on her face. Simon Kelly could not help but see how startlingly beautiful Poppy Kelly was that day as she stood watching him with a look of pure unfiltered shock. It was something he would never forget, no matter how long he lived.
Her hair was shiny in the afternoon light that flowed through the window, hair a brilliant blazing auburn, streaked through with blonde like the flickering embers of the fire and her eyes sparkling like raindrops against sunlight. Poppy looked so young, expression free and skin clear. She looked beautiful and it was everything he had always saw in her mother- Simon had been so young then, he did not recognise that something had changed, that this wasn't his mother as he knew her.
Poppy glided forward elegantly, and that was when Simon's eyes dropped to her body, she was dressed in a simple white dress, something she would never be caught in outside where people could see her- but equally, something that he thought looked pretty on her- Not that someone so young really much minded the serious art of fashion. Coming to a halt beside the crib, the mother's face unconsciously peeled back in a smile when she saw her sleeping angel- and that was when she finally returned her eyes to Simon.
"Oh, my baby boy. I do believe you are the only one who can see me" she gushed and he blinked in confusion.
"That's because I am the only one here to see you, Momma, when others are here, they'll see you too" he assured her brightly, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world as she reached her hand out to take his. Poppy Kelly almost jumped in shock when she locked her hand with his small one, finding that it was ice cold- it felt as though there was no life in him anymore but she knew in that instant that it wasn't him who was lifeless, detached... It was her, they were forever separated now and she couldn't help but feel her heart drop at the knowledge.
"Poppy?" a different voice questioned, confirming Simon's assurance and the two red-heads turned to find a third. Heather Mulligan was only six when she died, and she remained that very age- until this day. Down her back, her hair was styled in two elaborate braids were her bright red curls- lighter than both the others. She was perfected in death, her little white dress immaculate and currently- her grin was shimmering.
"Heather" Poppy returned, eyes shimmering with fresh tears that were yet to fall though when the small six-year-old came barreling toward her, Poppy grabbed her easily in her arms and was mesmerised to find their matching temperatures. Poppy Mulligan- had been twelve when her baby sister had died and now, they were reunited once more. The small girl climbed the woman easily, nestling in her arms and Poppy held her furiously, reluctant to ever let go.
It was on that random day in mid-august that Poppy Kelly realised how much peace could be found in death, she would have her sister and her son now, at least, and that was better than the misery of darkness that her uneducated brain had envisioned in her deepest nightmares of death.
"I told you you wouldn't be alone Momma"
"Simon!" a voice snapped, breaking him out of the warmth that his spirits had bathed him in. His little shimmering green eyes turned as Joseph Kelly stormed bitterly into the room. He was in a blind, grievous rage in the absence of his wife- the wife he had never truly appreciated in life and would now guilt over until his own death. He marched easily to the frail boy and grabbed him by the collar, the cries of baby Victoria meeting his ears from his sudden intensity and a horrified Poppy, Heather in her arms- could be of no help to her child. Planting her hand on her husband's shoulder, feeling the bite of his ice-cold form against her fingertips, Poppy shoved with all her might... And Joseph did not feel a thing as he struck Simon easily across his chubby cheek for the first time.
"You devil child, how dare you speak as though she were still with us. How dare you! You have got to grow up and get out of that deluded head of yours boy before I fix it for you!"
That was the very first time Joseph Kelly had ever been truly cruel to his son. Joseph had never been a warm man, never seemed truly caring but in the absence of Poppy- Simon looked up into those hard grey eyes and saw nothing but darkness. Simon didn't just lose his mother that day- he also lost his father, in a way he could never return from.
