Pixie in Training

Ch. 1: A Chance Encounter

EsPOV

Alice and I were doing a little shopping at the Mall in Anchorage and went into a little boutique that sold high-end dresses. It had always been one of my pixie like daughters favorite stores. This was the first time in the past four years that she had been shopping anywhere other than online. Ever since we left Bella, most of my family has not been the same. The only one of us that was truly happy was Edward, and that was because he was currently on his honeymoon with Angela.

My son had forced us to leave my human daughter behind after the events of her disastrous 18th birthday party. He argued that we constantly put her in danger and that she would have been better off without us. No matter how much the rest of us argued against it, he persisted until we all caved. That had been the worst mistake we could have ever made.

Edward left us because he was too distraught over losing his True Love. The hypocritical vampire showed up a month later with a very human Angela Webber in tow. He claimed she was his Soul Mate and that we should be happy he found her. Jasper suggested that we go back for Bella, but my eldest son retorted that it would be too distressing for her. Jasper left because he was too disgusted with Edward to stay.

We had come back to Alaska because a former patient requested that Carlisle perform a desperately needed surgery. While he was at the hospital, Emmett and Rosalie thought it was the ideal opportunity for some quality time. Since neither Alice nor I wanted to have to hear it, shopping sounded like the perfect distraction.

I was about to ask Alice her opinion of a dress that had caught my eye, when someone else offered theirs.

"That dress would be pretty on you," a small, soprano, wind chime voice said from just behind me and to my left.

I turned and saw the most adorable little girl. Her alabaster skin was just a shade darker than my own. Obsidian black curls hung down just past her shoulders, and sky blue almond shaped eyes set perfectly in heart shaped face, with equally perfect bow shaped lips. She wore a fitted red dress with Pixie in Training in sparkly letters, black leggings and red and black designer converse high sneakers. The child's elven features seemed familiar.

Alice flitted over to my side and we watched the young girl skip to the counter. She opened a small purse and pulled out a shiny, black credit card. The girl behind the counter accepted it and informed her that her mommy's dress would be sent to her. When she came back in our direction, she stopped and pointed to a dress on the rack.

"This one would be better, I think," she trilled to me. Alice nodded her agreement at the little girl's fashion sense.

"Sweetheart, where is your mommy," I asked concerned that such a small child should be on their own anywhere, let alone the mall.

"New Hamster or Furmont, I forget. She needed to fix somebody's head," she chirped, matter-of-factly.

Alice giggled and I suppressed a smile at the child's cuteness. "Then who are you with," I pressed.

Again, the tiny one replied without any hesitation, "Auntie Kate and Uncle Garrett. They're getting me some cookies and told me to wait here."

I was annoyed that anyone would be as careless with a child's welfare as to leave them in a store while they went off gallivanting somewhere else. "Did your mommy ever tell you not to talk to strangers," I chided her, every maternal instinct in had kicked into overdrive. Even Alice scowled in concern.

"You're not strangers. You're veggiepires like my mommy and family, cept Auntie Leah," she spoke softly so that no humans could hear.

My daughter and I gasped when she said that. If her family were vampires then it could only be Kate and Garrett Denali she was with. I needed to be certain, so I asked the most logical question, nothing could have prepared us for the answer.

"What is your name, little one," I asked in a gentler tone, it was not her fault her guardians were brainless.

"I'm Carmen Alisme Rosalie Cullen but everybody calls me Ali-Rose or Sprite. Sometimes Mommy calls me Taz when I get mad," she said proudly while she pointed at her chest.

Alice was in shock and I was not far behind but we needed more information before her guardians came for her. Unfortunately, I heard Kate call to her from outside the store. Ali-Rose waved goodbye to us and skipped out of the store faster than a human child should at the promise of a cookie.

I walked to the saleswoman behind the counter and asked, "Who was that child?"

The clerk looked at me and assumed that she was about to hear a tirade about parental neglect. "That was Dr. Denali's daughter, Ali-Rose. She loves to shop and get things for her mother. None of her family members are ever far from her. Mostly they sit outside and wait until she's finished," the woman said defensively.

"Dr. Denali," I queried as if trying to place the name.

"Yes, Dr. Isabella Denali. She is a psychiatrist in Vancouver but has family here. They visit often. Both of them are valued customers," she replied.

Then, almost to herself she continued, "I wonder if the Doctor knows about that credit card. She took the last one after Ali-Rose ordered a canary yellow Porsche, online."

It had been information overload. My mind tried to process everything without going into meltdown. Poor Alice looked on the verge of tears. I needed to find a quiet spot were the two of us could regroup and figure out our next step.

APOV

I watched in stunned silence as the Sprite skipped out of the store. From the point she had said her name; part of me knew that she was Bella's daughter. When the clerk confirmed her mother's name, I went into shock. Bella had a daughter, a four-year-old daughter, my mind chanted over and over. Just before Esme guided me out of the store, a memory bubbled up from the back of my mind.

Two days before her 18th birthday, Bella made the choice to dump my brother. She realized that he wasn't her Soul Mate, I was. We made love that night, I'd been her first. I had asked her to wait until after the party to break it off with Edward. That hadn't worked out as I planned.

My mind drift back to that precious little girl and something clicked. She was four; we left Bella four years ago. She looked like a mixture of Bella and I. SHE. Was. My. Daughter. Holy Crow, I have a daughter! I snapped out of my daze and danced around like a human on a sugar rush.

At vampire speed I told my mother everything. She was overjoyed at the thought of having a grandchild. Reality sent in quickly and we knew that we needed to get home and tell the others then go see the Denali's. A brief vision hit me and before we left, I stopped at one shop then bolted for the car.

Tonight I would truly meet my daughter. Then I would go get my mate back.