As always, I'd like to thank redheadknits for her awesome beta'ing (especially since it was supposed to be a one-time-only deal!) and for fixing my broken paragraph. And thanks to MaleficentKnits for her encouragement and pimping.
Stephenie Meyers owns all things Twilight. I just want Charlie.
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Charlie knew he was losing her. It wasn't like he hadn't anticipated this ... it was the normal course of events. He'd lost her before, many times. First, when Renee left, taking his only daughter with him. That was the hardest loss. He would then lose her again, at the end of every summer, when he sent her back to Phoenix. But this time, it was different. He knew that, no matter what, she would never be his "little girl" again. Of course, he'd always have his place in her heart. He knew this. But it wouldn't be the same. Another man would have the place of honor that Charlie had always occupied.
Shortly after Bella had moved back to Forks, Charlie could see a difference in her behavior. Nothing drastic, nothing a casual observer would notice. There were the moments of preoccupation, the faint blush on her cheeks when she'd realize he had caught her day-dreaming. Well, the blushing was really nothing new; Bella had often been embarrassed by how easily the flush would cover her cheeks. But it was different, somehow. Maybe it was the dreamy, far-away look in her eyes that made her simple blush into something more. Charlie could fit his knowledge of the female mind into a thimble, with room to spare - but he knew there was a boy involved with Bella's distraction. And even though he realized that this was normal for a seventeen-year-old girl, he couldn't help but resent the boy who was occupying her mind. Stealing her heart.
Charlie's mind drifted back to when Bella was still Daddy's Little Girl. He had so many wonderful memories. But, in his estimation, there weren't nearly enough of them. Sure, some of his favorites revolved around the time Bella spent in the kitchen, experimenting and practicing her cooking skills. Charlie was always a willing guinea pig for her concoctions. But it wasn't enough. It was one of the major drawbacks of being a part-time father. In retrospect, he wondered how things would have been if he had been able, or willing, to move to Phoenix. At the time, it seemed best that he stay in Washington. But as he thought back on the time he had with Bella, he knew he'd made the wrong choice. He should have done everything possible to spend more time with his little girl.
He had to admit that the boy - young man - Edward - was polite. He had come over one evening to formally introduce himself. Of course, Charlie knew who the boy was, knew the family. As Chief of Police in a small town, he had a vague acquaintance with everyone who lived in Forks. He ran his hand across the back of his neck, then tugged distractedly at his mustache. He supposed she had chosen well. The boy's parents were upstanding members of the community: the man was a doctor; his wife, an interior designer. Edward had never been in trouble, had a 4.0 grade point average, and was already trying to decide which of the Ivy League colleges he wanted to attend. Charlie smiled as he remembered the look on Edward's face that evening. He could tell that Edward was already nervous as he entered the house with Bella. Seeing the rifle on the table, the boy had turned white. He composed himself quickly, though, holding out his hand for Charlie to shake, introducing himself. Charlie had to respect the boy's self-assurance. He didn't know if he would have been so calm, had the situation been reversed.
As the months passed, Charlie noticed more changes in his little girl. She was taking more care with her appearance, dressing a little nicer. Her brown hair was styled a little differently, too; instead of being pulled back in a ponytail or left hanging, there were curls and subtle highlights. He didn't mention the changes, knowing that it would only embarrass them both. She never thought of him as being observant where she was concerned, and he would feel awkward if she knew just how much he did notice. Their relationship wasn't as close as Charlie would have liked it to be, since they'd spent so little time together while Bella was young. But, probably since they'd been separated for so much of her life, he made it a point to know as much about her as he could. He wanted to be the best father he could be.
Along with the physical changes, there were the emotional changes, too. She was more mature, less likely to argue with him over little, unimportant things. She told him more about what was going on in her life. They were able to discuss just about anything. There were a couple of subjects that Charlie hesitated to bring up; he prayed that Renee had given her that talk. It wasn't easy for Charlie to show his emotions; he had always been a quiet man, and losing Renee had only exaggerated that trait. He hoped, though, that Bella knew she could come to him with anything, and that he'd be there for her, whatever she needed.
Yes, Charlie knew that he was losing his little girl. She was growing, changing into a woman, right before his eyes. As Charlie thought about the years of loneliness ahead, he had a sudden vision of himself holding his first grandchild. And he realized then that maybe he wasn't losing anything, after all.