Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything is Stephanie Meyers.

AN: The time frame of this is after Eclipse, when Bella and Edward leave to tell Charlie the news. Alternate Universe: What if Bella had changed her mind and decided to wait to break the news to him.

Edward had me by the hand. His eyes were gold and filled with happiness. Almost no trace of the black eyed vampire I met existed.

"Today is the day." He smiled crookedly, an inhumanly beautiful smile.

"I better tell him."

"I will be there with you."

"Edward I better go in alone to tell him."

"Bella we are both part of this. I am part of this! I'll be there."

I had a bad feeling about this. I should have considered this sooner, even if it just had been by a week.

"Everything will be fine."

I still haven't told Charlie. It has been a week and five days since Edward and I have been engaged. I didn't know how Charlie was going to react. I had changed my mind a week ago. Edward and I were almost there ready to tell Charlie about the engagement. I told Edward I needed to wait. Edward had argued that... If I really wanted to marry him I would tell my father.

"If you want to marry me, you will tell him."

It was Edward that didn't mind the idea of eloping. I was embarrassed of course, I was the one that wanted to tell Charlie, and then changed my mind. I had assured Edward, quelling his doubt, that I just needed to wait for the right moment to tell Charlie. He had agreed. Now I was becoming a little coward. Alice was already making preparations for the wedding.

"Shall We." Edward took my hand and led me in. At least Edward was bullet proof.

…..

Charlie was watching TV.

"Hey Bells."

He saw Edward and looked away. He looked like he wanted to ignore us. I started on the obvious.

"Dad we need to talk to you."

Charlie looked up then. "Both of you?"

"Yes sir! We both need to speak with you." Edward's posture was formal.

Now Charlie looked frustrated and tired. "Ya, well I just was wondering if it was serious, for both of you to want to talk to me. He turned off the TV and tossed the remote.

"He is put out that the Dodgers are losing." Edward whispered in my ear. Charlie came into the kitchen with us. His eyes met Edward's.

"Hello Edward." Charlie was trying to be polite, and was giving Edward the hello he didn't give him a few minutes ago. Charlie had made an effort to be polite to Edward the last few weeks, but there were still moments like these, that Charlie's dislike for Edward was apparent. "Do you need to say something?"

"Hello Sir. Yes! Bella wants to tell you."

They both looked at me. "Everything is fine Dad. This is something good."

"Is it something I won't like?"

I swallowed. "Edward and I are going to get married.''

"You mean you got married."

"No we are going to get married.'

Charlie looked at Edward. Edward nodded affirmatively and took my hand in his.

Charlie stared at us. His eyes turned cold and his expression went blank, then he turned around and walked away from us.

…

"Charlie has been ignoring us for twenty minutes." I was in the living room now with Edward. It's not like we were comfortable, it was just the new spot we were standing aimlessly at.

"He is very bothered.' Edward kept his voice low.

I was just trying to get on speaking terms with my father again.

"Dad we should talk about this."

"He's coming back from the kitchen." Edward's eyebrows furrowed.

"He's very angry." Edward whispered so quietly, I barely heard him.

Charlie walked right up to Edward and was glaring at him.

"Chief Swan, my intention of marrying your daughter is entirely honorable."

…..

Far away unknown to Edward and Bella, Alice stood, her expression stunned. Jasper's eyes looked up at her in alarm.

...

Charlie pointed his gun right at Edward. My heart was going to explode rite out of my chest. Edward took a step back, his arm raised to keep me away.

"Mr. Swan." His voice was completely civil and calm.

My eyes were so wide it hurt. This can't be real.

"Dad…."

A sound so piercingly loud exploded in the air. My heart stopped.

The air was still vibrating from the firecracker sound. Edward looked down at himself.

Charlie had shot him.

We were all frozen with shock. I looked into Edward's eyes and then I stared at my father. Edward backed away. I knew he wasn't hurt, that still didn't take the panic from me.

Edward ran at a slow human speed to the door. Then he was gone. The door shut behind him.

Edward (pov)

As soon as the door shut, I sped to the forest. I heard Bella for the first time scream in the wake of my retreat. I stood as still as my existence permitted, hidden in the trees. I kept my eyes focused on the door.

"Did he realize?" Alice's bell chime voice addressed me.

"I think he realized something is…amiss."

Alice mentally asked me the real question. He couldn't have possibly guessed the truth.

"I'm not sure if he realizes."

Alice raised her eyebrow. I had never told my family that Charlie's thoughts were nearly as hidden from me as Bella's. Upon second thought, it's most likely how he was able to surprise me with the gun.

"Do you think he knows?''

"I think he knows the bullet did not affect me."

I tried to listen into his mind, but he either wasn't in range or his thoughts were currently blank. Bella came through the front door. She was looking around the forest.

"This will need cleaning up, but I am at a loss to know how?" Jasper had arrived. I could see in his mind, he thought it impossible to eliminate anyone in this situation.

I flagged Bella. Bella came running into are hidden spot behind the trees.

"Edward." Bella wrapped her arms around me.

"I'm so sorry Edward." I didn't like to see her, this upset.

"Everything is fine Bella." I ran my hand down her hair.

"Alice, I didn't think he was actually going to do that…. I thought he wanted to…. But I didn't think he would actually...

"I saw him decide."

"Edward you didn't know he was going to do that?" Bella looked at me curiously.

"I never mentioned it, but his mind has never been completely open to me. Much like the way your mind is closed to me."

Jasper was surprised.

"You've read his mind before?" she looked shocked.

"Yes. There is always a distinct impression to what he is thinking, but his thoughts are not as three dimensional to me as everyone else's. I never noticed before, until I met you, that's when I realized some of his thoughts are hidden from me like yours. I didn't know what he was going to do until he actually did it." I wondered if it was because it was a decision based on his rational thinking, or a decision driven by unreasoned blind fury.

"He doesn't know what we are." Alice's voice was positive.

"I tried to tell him the bullet didn't hit you. He didn't believe me. He knows something is …different."

"This will have to be dealt with. Witnesses of this magnitude could pose a problem."

Bella looked at Jasper shocked and unconsciously grabbed my arm.

"Don't worry Bella. Your part of this family and so is Charlie." Jasper assured her, feeling her fear. I growled at him.

"We will most likely have to leave. We will discuss this with Carlisle. I will try to reach him by phone!" It was best if Charlie just did not see me again.

"I'm going with you." I didn't have to read Bella's mind to know her conviction.

"He's away now." "He'll be back shortly." Jasper and Alice said simultaneously.

Jasper's thoughts held confidence. Will find him on foot, we know where he is hunting.

I nodded.

"Good idea Jasper, we'll tell him right away." Alice chimed.

They looked at me and Bella. Wondering if I would come now or later. "It's alright, you both find Carlisle. We will meet you at home." They were gone in a blink.

Bella grabbed me.

"What about Charlie?"

"I told him how angry I am. I told him I wasn't coming back till tonight." Bella started to fumble for her truck keys.

"Let's go on foot.'' I lifted her on my back.

I thought, what I had not thought of since 100 years ago when I became a vampire. What am I going to do now?

"Edward what are we going to do now?"

"Whatever we are going to do. We are going to do it together."