She Lays Down [h.s.]

Eight

Author's Note: Double Update! Whooo!

It's Valentine's Day and Mary's expecting to wake up to soft kisses and maybe breakfast in bed, or, at the very least, Alec being in bed beside her. But, instead, she wakes up to silence and wrinkled sheets. She doesn't even know why she'd gotten her hopes up, especially because the last time he was home for more than ten minutes he'd moaned Elena's name while he was making love to her.

She hasn't stayed up so late crying about him recently because that last incident really cut her deeply and she can't stop thinking about how he brushed it off as if it was nothing. Harry helps soothe her heart and she's glad that he's there because lately she's been spiraling into a deep depression despite the pills that she takes to help.

It's a school day for Ember and another work day for her, so she peels herself out of bed and takes care of her hygiene before ambling down the hallway and waking up her sleepy daughter. Ember's a pretty hard sleeper and it takes a good ten minutes just to get her out of bed and another fifteen to get her teeth brushed and to get her in some clothes.

Mary's putting on some makeup when Ember walks in with a bright smile and her hands behind her back. She can't help but to smile in return as she puts her makeup away and gives her daughter all of her attention.

"What are you so happy about?"

Ember rocks on her heels for a moment, "I made you something!"

Mary raises an eyebrow and her smile quirks to the left, "Oh, really now?"

Ember's proud and hums her response which prompts Mary to ask, "Can I have it, or is it top secret business because it's behind your back?"

She giggles and pulls a pretty pink card out from behind her back, "Happy Valentine's Day Mommy!"

Before she even accepts the card, Mary drops to Ember's level an envelops her in a tight hug, "I love you so much, my sweet little Emmy. Thank you sooo much!"

Ember laughs because her mommy is squeezing her a little tighter than she needs too and she's got her arms pinned to her sides.

"I love you too, mommy! You're welcome!"

Mary kisses Ember's cheek and accepts Ember's pretty Valentine with a massive smile. She's pasted paper hearts and glitter all over the front and wrote 'For my Mommy' in the middle in her best handwriting.

Her heart is already in a puddle and she's so happy to open the card and see the inside. Ember's drawn the two of them in bright pink and purple dresses and she's drawn a little cat in between them hinting that she wants a pet kitty.

As for the written parts, she's written: You're the bestest mommy in the whole wide world. I love you more than infinity! Happy Valentine's Day Mommy! Love, Ember.

She looks at Ember with slightly glossy eyes, "Did you make this all by yourself?"

Ember shakes her head, her smile growing around the edges, "Mr. Styles helped me!"

For a moment, Mary feels like she can't breathe because it's Harry and he was thinking of her enough to help Ember make her a Valentine. If her heart wasn't already in a puddle, it would melt like ice cream in the stifling summer heat.

"He did?"

Ember nods happily and bounces on her toes a little, "Yep!"

Mary smiles to herself because he's so wonderful and he's teaching her daughter so much more than just the stuff she needs to know to get to the next grade. She's incredibly glad that he's her teacher and that he's her friend because she's not entirely sure things would be alright if he wasn't.