Letting Charlie In

by princessxoamber

Sue doesn't want to marry Charlie without telling him the whole truth about the Tribe and her kids. So, Bella and Sue decide it's time to let Charlie in on a little secret revolving around Fork's.

Alright, this authors note is going to be snarky and witchy. I was 'turned away' from this contest because I had 'too many' errors. It broke my heart to get rejection emails, and I almost quit writing. I was very very upset and wasn't even sure I wanted to continue.

But I still wanted to post my entry on my profile. That is all I'm going to say because, well, I was taught if I didn't have anything nice to say, not to say anything at all.

Strictly Charlie Contest

Title: Letting Charlie In

Author: PrincessxoAmber

Beta: Karebear1965/ Wendy

Rating: Mature for language

Pairings: Sue/Charlie; Jake/Bells

Summary: During New Moon, Edward never came back. Jake and Bells progressed from friendship to love. When she was healed from the hurt from the Cullen's and let go; Jake imprinted. Sue doesn't want to marry Charlie without telling him the whole truth about the Tribe and her kids. So, Bella and Sue decide it's time to let Charlie in on a little secret revolving around Fork's.

Letting Charlie In:

Sue POV:

Charlie and I have been together for almost two years now. After Harry died, I thought I would be alone with two very young wolves in our home forever. So many things were changing in our lives so fast, and eventually when I needed that shoulder to grieve on, Charlie was there. To most, Charlie might not show many emotions, but with me and Bella, he wore his heart on his sleeve.

After those Cullen's left and Bella was so withdrawn, Charlie would come down and chat with Billy and Harry. He'd talk about her progress, and then he'd break down in tears because he couldn't help his only daughter get over her first broken heart. Harry and Billy had their share of fights over whether or not to let Charlie in on the wolf-y secret; hoping that if he knew the truth about the Cullen's, he would know exactly why Bella was so depressed.

Now, here we are three years later and the night we finally let Charlie in. It took a year for me to admit that I had feelings for Charlie, but when I finally gave in, I fell hard. I loved Bella as much as I loved Leah, and I was so excited when she realized she loved Jake back.

The day she let go of that Cullen, and allowed Jake into her heart completely, he imprinted. It was an amazing thing to witness, and I was one of the lucky ones there, when Bella announced to Jake that she'd finally let him go completely. Bella told me that Leah was the one who told her that she needed to let Jake in and love him like he loved her, or she'd lose him.

Leah and Bella shared a very strange relationship. They were close as real sisters, and fought, like real sisters. They argued and disagreed, but they also squealed with delight and shared the most intimate details of their lives. Leah saw most of it anyway because she'd phase with Jake, but Leah shared with Bella more than she had ever shared with anyone, before.

Seth and Bella were a complete match, almost like twins. They both had that sort of "hero worship" with Jake, and adored everything he did. They liked the same movies, the same music, and even read the same books. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were twins. Jake always laughed whenever he'd come to the house, off of patrol, and catch them together tag teaming the other pack members in some sort of video game war.

Bella and I had a reluctant start. She has a mom who loves her dearly, but honestly, loves herself more. I liked to take care of my kids, and Bella was counted among them. She was hesitant to come to me with the questions she had, concerning the pack. She was also hesitant with the establishment of mine and Charlie's relationship. The only woman she had ever seen him with, other than her mother, and I guess to anyone that would seem odd. Seth and Charlie bonded quickly over fishing, and stories of Harry. Leah was standoffish, but she mostly is when it comes to men.

Eventually, we all fell into a normal sort of relationship and became a real family. A real family with dinner time and game nights, serious conversations, and we never left without saying "I love you." With the loss of Harry, we realized that all the moments as a family counted, and we shouldn't take any of them for granted.

Bella and Charlie just fit in, with our pack. They may not have been Quileute, but they were family. Charlie proposed to me this Christmas, and we were going to be married in July. So now, at the end of April, I'm going to let Charlie in our biggest secret. I only hope he doesn't hate me, and that he doesn't hold it against Bella for keeping everyone's secrets. Jake also expressed that he wants Charlie to know the severity of his and Bella's relationship. He didn't want to hide anything from him anymore.

The bonfire was burning. The food was set out. The younger boys had some music playing and a deck of cards out. Jake and Bella were wrapped around each other whispering to one another. I heard Bella's laugh ring out around the fire and saw Charlie's face light up. I grabbed his hand and clung to it; like it would be the last time we would be this close.

Billy Black sat in his usual place in the middle of the circle. Jake was on one side, and Paul and Rachel on the other. The Black children gathered around their father, and then the rest of the pack settled around the circle.

"It's time to tell the legends," Billy's authoritative voice rang out, and you could hear the Alpha tones running through it.

Everyone was quiet, absolutely silent, as Billy told of the cold ones, imprinting, and the third wife. Bella's eyes got misty as he continued. Jake wrapped a protective arm around her and pulled her tight against him. Bella looked up at Jake with the most adoring eyes and anyone could tell that they were in love.

I felt Charlie start to fidget next to me, so I turned to him. I've discovered in our time together that Charlie has "cop-stincts." Sam and Jake had to work it out so that Leah and Seth didn't have such late patrols when Charlie and Bella moved in because he'd catch them sneaking in early in the morning, and then we'd have to 'ground' them for it.

"Sue, is Billy trying to tell me something?" Charlie asked looking down at me. All the wolves could obviously hear him, but they whispered to their imprints what was going on.

I sat, shocked, unable to say anything when Jake stood up, "Charlie, we need to tell you the truth."

"The truth about what son?" Charlie instinctively removed his hand from mine, and I wanted to whimper from the loss.

"Charlie, you heard the stories my dad told, and well, they are true, all of them. The Protectors, the Cold Ones; you know them, both of them," Jake stood proud, like his true Alpha self with his arms crossed over his chest, and awaited the confrontation he knew was bound to happen.

"Jacob, these are just old stories. They don't mean anything," Charlie looked around the circle, "Right? They are just old stories?"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you Charlie. We are real. We, all the guys and Leah, are the Protectors." Each Protector stood and faced Charlie. The plan was to show him exactly who was part of which story.

"Then who are the Cold Ones?" Charlie asked. Bella visibly stiffened, and Jake turned away from Charlie and attended to her in his own affectionate way. He rubbed his nose along the column of her throat, and she relaxed.

"The Cullen's, Dad. The Cullen's are the Cold Ones," Bella breathed out.

"And Cold Ones; are what exactly?" Charlie looked back at Jake and ignored Bella's anxious stares.

"Vampires, leeches, bloodsuckers," Paul's crass voice rang out over the fire.

"I'm a little afraid to ask how a Protector works," Charlie's stare turned to the fire, so he didn't catch what the rest of us did.

Paul stood tall, dropped his shorts, and we heard Rachel let out a whistle as he phased on the fly, right over the fire. I remember hearing Seth say, that after that first fight with Bella, when Jake had phased on the fly, each member of the pack was determined to do it.

Charlie reached for his gun, and the laughter stopped around the fire. "Dad, stop! It's just Paul!" Bella yelled out. She was protective of all the wolves, but with Paul being with Rachel, they were closer then most.

"It's a wild animal, Bells, not a damn Protector!" Charlie exclaimed.

"No Dad, they turn into the wolf, so they can fight the Cold Ones. Didn't you pay attention to the story?" Bella moved from her position with Jake and sat on the other side of her father.

Charlie stood up to leave and then, all of a sudden, he hit the ground, totally passed out. I let out a small scream and jumped to make sure he didn't hit his head on anything sharp.

"He's fine Sue, no bleeding," Jake's voice rang out in the night air. "He'll come to in a few moments."

"Did we do the right thing?" I asked the pack.

"Would you rather have a marriage based on lies? Plus, I don't think Bells could handle lying to her dad much more." Jake answered. I was rather impressed at his antics tonight. He was showing more authority, and leadership, than he normally had.

True to what Jake said, Charlie woke up within five minutes of his…episode. "Sue, you're never going to believe the dream I had. I must have dozed off during those stories." Charlie started, "I mean that Paul boy, I dreamed, he jumped over the fire and turned into a wolf!"

I felt the tears forming in my eyes and looked at Charlie, "It's true."

"Sue, stop it. I mean, this isn't possible." Charlie waved his hand around the fire.

"But, it is Dad. I've seen it. I've seen both of them in action. The pack has kept me protected, and they keep all of La Push safe and Forks too. Even though they don't have to, they do it for us." Bella's small voice, came from behind Jake. He must have pushed her behind him, when Charlie's voice, got louder.

"Bells, what are you talking about? Tell me honey. What do they need to protect you from? I can keep you safe." Charlie was pleading with Bella, and I felt a small sob reach my throat.

"You can't Dad. These guys, and Leah, they keep me safe. The Cullen's left us in horrible danger. Jake saved me Dad, in more ways than one." Bella moved from behind Jake, and he grabbed the back of her shirt to stop her.

"Do you see it Dad? Do you see that even if he senses the little bit of danger I'm in, he steps in and stops it?" Bella asked, not allowing her father to answer. "We are connected in the most permanent way This can't end for us."

Jake placed his hand on her shoulder to stop her, and moved to stand next to her, "Charlie, the story of imprinting, when the souls reach out and bind together, that's what's happened with me and Bells. Paul and Rachel, Sam and Emily, and Jared and Kim too. We make up the imprinted couples."

"And what does that have to do with the Cullen's or this Protector nonsense?" Charlie asked Jake.

"It's not nonsense, Dad. They wouldn't be like this if the Cullen's weren't here. Their presence forced the pack to change. If they had stayed away, everything would be normal," Bella argued.

"I want to know what you Protectors, protected my Bells from," Charlie's own authoritative cop voice called out.

"A vampire, Victoria, was hunting Bells," Jake started. "Her mate was killed by the Cullen's, and she was trying to get revenge on them by killing Bella. The pack and I chased her for months before we were able to catch her. We were always on patrol, and Bella was never alone. I wouldn't risk losing her."

"And this imprinting thing, it's permanent?" Charlie looked defeated.

"Dad, just think, we'll always be here, or around La Push, and you with Sue; we'll all be a family, together." Bella tried to cheer him up, "If I'd stayed with the Cullen's, they would have turned me, and I'd never be able to, see you again."

Charlie looked at Bella, then at Jake, then toward Billy and finally, back at me. He cracked a smile and reached for his side arm, "Hey Jacob, have you got any special abilities?"

"Um, well, we are really hot, temperature wise. We eat a lot, and we heal really fast." He stuttered through unsure of Charlie's intentions, as were the rest of us.

"Wanna figure out how fast you heal from a bullet hole?" Charlie threatened, jokingly.

Unfortunately, this would be the time that Quil and Embry made themselves known, "Oh, shoot me Charlie!" Quil yelled.

"Yeah Charlie, me too! I wanna see how fast it heals; or if we're like Wolverine, and we'll shoot out the bullet ourselves." Embry shouted over the yells from his pack mates.

I looked at Charlie and he gave me a meaningful nod that meant we would talk later when we got home. I only hoped that our home would still be one after the conversation was over.

Charlie POV:

My daughter was pulled into the world of the supernatural almost five years ago. I couldn't understand it, but I could see why she would keep it from me. In her own way, she was protecting me. If those leeches that were hunting her head ever come after me, I wouldn't have any of the answers they were seeking. I had no clue about anything they would want; my death would have been instantaneous and just to spite her.

Also, it wasn't really her secret to tell. I always knew something was odd about the Cullen's, but I wouldn't ever in a million years guess this was their secret. Now the rez boys, they are an even bigger surprise. I mean, I thought they all just worked out a whole lot. Whenever I questioned them, they'd say they had good genes. Now I get the little inside joke.

Sue was a complete other story. She was one of the people who had the power to tell me and not leave me out of all the decisions pertaining to my daughter. Actually, any of our children, because that's how I referred to Seth and Leah. They were as much my kids as Bella.

Jacob, I could tell was the leader of their pack without anyone saying it. The way he moved when Bells did, and protected her, even if it was just from me raising my voice, was comforting. I now knew that my girl would be taken care of in any way she would ever need. Maybe this imprinting thing wasn't so bad after all. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I remembered who Jake had said were the couples. Emily and Sam. That was why Leah was always so angry; Sam had imprinted on Emily instead of Leah, and in turn broke her heart. It all made sense.

Leah and Bella's heartbreaks were different. In reality, Leah had it worse. Her lover left her for her cousin, and she had it flaunted in her face everyday. At least with Bella, the Cullen's left town. Those two bonded over their heartbreak, and I saw as Leah counseled Bella into letting Cullen go, and letting Jake in. I was elated when they took to each other, but I was even more elated when Leah actually came to me for advice.

Leah didn't tell many people her secrets, but she told me. She liked my job and wanted to be a cop one day. She'd asked for help on how to get to that stage of being a police officer. I was damn proud, and honestly a little honored that she came to me. It was one of the first steps we took toward being a family.

Seth had no problems with me. I swear that kid was always happy and positive about something. The only time I've seen him upset was at his father's funeral. We liked to go fishing on the weekends, and sometimes Jake would tag along and we'd make it a "men only" event.

Bells, tonight, looked so relieved that I finally knew everything, and I couldn't imagine holding all of this away from someone. It's a wonder she didn't spontaneously combust. I sent her home with Jake, especially since I knew how he would treat her. Sue and I had to get some talking done. Before I could ask Leah and Seth to be scarce, Seth said he was going with the idiot twins who wanted to be shot by my gun. Leah was a little apprehensive about where she was heading until Bella cornered her at the fire and threatened to have Jake make her, I guess it had something to do with being the leader. Man, did I need to learn the official titles.

"I have a date," Leah mumbled toward the fire.

Bella and all the other girls squealed and started asking questions while Sam, Seth, Jake and I all scowled at the thought, "Who's your date, Leah?"

"Aw Charlie, don't go all cop on me!" Leah whined, "He's a nice boy from Forks."

"Not Newton! He puked in my car!" Jake exclaimed.

"Eww no, it's um, Austin, Austin Marks." Leah again resorted to mumbling out her answers.

"His little brother was who I bought those motorcycles from. Leah, did you imprint?" Bella looked really excited at the prospect, and I let it go that she said motorcycles. Jake and I would be having a chat later.

"I…um…have to go." And Leah sprinted off leaving us to wonder if she had.

Bella looked at Jake expectantly, and he sighed, "Fine, okay. So, as Alpha, I know that Leah has officially imprinted. She wouldn't tell me who, and I told her when she was ready, she could share, but yes, she did imprint."

Sue, Bella and Emily all started dancing around joyously, and I smiled seeing them so happy. I just hated that Sue and I had to have a serious conversation about secrets instead of celebrating Leah's imprinting.

Sue and I walked back to the house from the beach, in silence. We bought this house together after we sold mine in Fork's, and her's is just down the road. It didn't seem right for us to live in the house her and Harry lived in together. I believe the council bought the house for either Seth or Leah to live in when they got older. The Forks house was bought by a private lawyer, and from what I'm told, it's still vacant.

I walked into our house and sat in my chair. Sue went to the kitchen and grabbed me a beer. She sat on the small love seat instead on taking up her usual place on the arm of my chair. We had this awkward sort of staring contest, and neither of us said anything for twenty minutes.

"So, I guess we should talk about this." I decided to start the conversation.

"Yeah, well, I guess we should." Sue agreed.

"You want to start?" She nodded and told me everything she possibly could about the Protectors. All their extra enhancements, and everything they have to face. I was a little worried when she reminded me of their super hearing. Having two wolves in the house, and now knowing they could hear everything, made me a little uncomfortable. She also told me things that would let me know if I was ever in the company of a leech. I now knew the signs; red eyes, sparkling skin, the works. I was a little disappointed to know that wooden stakes and crosses wouldn't work, and that everything I thought I'd known, was useless. It also didn't help when she told me that the Protectors were made to destroy vampires and that was their sole purpose for changing.

With the Cullen's gone, and the vampire hunting Bells dead, Sue said she thought that some of the boys with imprints would probably stop phasing soon. She mentioned marriages, kids, and all that jazz. I wasn't sure if I was ready for that with Bells, but I knew that I would always be in her life. Jake's life was in La Push, and with Bella, which meant she would be there. And my life was in La Push as well, with Sue. I wouldn't have to say goodbye to my daughter and let her move across the country or anything like normal parents. I was lucky that I would only be a few blocks away.

Sue sat quietly and let me go over everything in my head. I stewed on the fact that she hid things from me for years, and then I rationalized with myself that I just wasn't privy to the information and I was acting like a spoiled child who didn't get their way.

"I'm not angry Sue. I know why you had to keep this from me," I stated easily.

"You're not? Oh Charlie, I thought you were going to leave me," Sue cried and jumped from the couch and into my arms.

"I don't think I could leave the other piece of my heart, Sue." I kissed her sweetly on the mouth.

My kisses became more heated and fevered. When Sue let out a moan I looked at her deviously, "No wolves in the house tonight, we can be as loud, as we want."

She squealed and ran up the stairs toward our room. We could talk later, but it wouldn't change anything. I loved that woman with my whole heart, and I never wanted her to go.