"Do you want to go for a walk?" Renesmee asked Charlie. Renesmee's voice was soft and quiet. She didn't speak when she could avoid it.

"Sure. Where would you like to walk." responded Charlie distractedly. He still flinched whenever Renesmee spoke. She was less than a year old, but was already fluid with words, an unnatural feat.

"Just around the forest would be nice." whispered Renesmee. "It's so beautiful out today."

"Well alright. But be warned, I'm much older than Carlisle. I'll probably be slower than him." huffed Charlie. It bothered him that he was so much older than Renesmee's other grandfather.

"You're not though." said Renesmee in response.

"I'm not what?" demanded Charlie

"Older than Carlisle."

"Well that's flattering, but I'm at least ten years older than your other grandfather. I'm over forty. I bet Carlisle can't be older than thirty-three."

Renesmee just laughed, which put Charlie on edge. What was so funny? Charlie didn't ask Renesmee however. He had a nagging suspicion that he didn't want to know. Renesmee grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. She was surprisingly strong. Charlie was perfectly aware she wasn't a normal one year old- she looked seven or eight. But still, she had just pulled all his weight and he was pretty heavy. He shuddered and pulled on his coat. He handed Renesmee the coat she had brought with her when Bella dropped him off, but she waved it away.

"You'll freeze without your coat." Charlie nagged. "You're mother would kill me."

"I highly doubt I'd freeze. Momma says I'm like a fire I'm so hot. But I'll wear the coat if you want." Renesmee was not being sassy, or rude, she was just stating the facts. Renesmee pulled on the coat.

"Thank you for wearing the coat." Charlie responded feverently. When it came to her baby, Bella could be really intense.

Charlie and Renesmee stepped outside, the door banging shut behind them. No one bothered to lock the door. The people of Forks knew better than to break into the police chief's house.

Charlie and Renesmee began to walk, their feet crunching brittle fall leaves. At some point, Renesmee placed her warm hand in Charlie's. Charlie found that gesture very sweet, and he felt so much gratitude to Bella for bringing this wonderful girl into the world. Charlie and Renesmee walked for about ten minutes. Neither said much, but both enjoyed the other's company.

Ten minutes into the walk, however, something happened. At first it seemed like nothing, a trick of the mind. Something blurred by Charlie, scattering leaves in every direction. Charlie was about to write it off as a strange gust of wind, when a figure appeared before him. Apparently that thing had caused the wind by running so fast.

The thing looked like a man, with long, thin white hair. But when Charlie looked closer, the man didn't quite look human. The man's eyes were a brilliant shade of red, and he was unnaturally pale. His posture was rigid, and his teeth were sharp. Charlie reflectively stepped in front of Renesmee, trying to protect her.

Renesmee had a different agenda. She stepped out from behind Charlie and walked towards the creature. "Stefan." she said, addressing it with a name. Renesmee's voice took on a colder twinge Charlie had never heard. "What are you doing here?" It was clear Renesmee knew Stefan.

"I want to talk to Carlisle." said the creature called Stefan. Stefan had a slight accent, which sounded vaguely Romanian.

"Where's Vladimir?" demanded Renesmee.

"He's hunting." The way Stefan said hunting sounded ominous, with a clear double meaning. Renesmee stepped closer to Charlie, as if trying to protect him. Charlie didn't see how the thin, small girl could defend him.

Stefan saw Renesmee's reaction, and his face softened. "It's only natural sweetheart. Your family can make their choices, but we can make ours."

Renesmee nodded, but did not step away from Charlie.

"How are you?" asked Stefan. "It's been almost a year." What had Renesmee and Stefan done together a year ago? Charlie had no idea.

"I'm good." said Renesmee. Her voice was kinder now. "What about you?"

"Terrible. But that's not new." it seemed like Stefan was setting something up. "Renesmee, what do you think of the Italians?" Realization dawned upon Renesmee's face.

"My opinion on that matter is neither here nor there." Renesmee's words were formal, not what would be expected of a seven-year old. "Besides, Carlisle lived with them for almost fifty years. I'm pretty sure he would be against taking action."

"Ahh of course. Perfect, diplomatic Carlisle. Wouldn't hurt a fly. Even if the Italians killed my whole family." Stefan seemed annoyed, but not angry. It seemed he got the answer he had expected. "Maybe Whitlock will join me. He can't resist a battle."

"I don't think so, and I advise you don't ask." Renesmee was beginning to scare Charlie. This wasn't how a child her age was supposed to act. "No one will take kindly to someone trying to split up our family."

"What are you going to do you're not even a vampire." Charlie's heart raced. Everything about the Cullens was beginning to make sense.

"I'm not going to do anything. But there are nine of us and two of you. And you've proved your valor at running, but what about fighting."

"And you're any better? Carlisle constantly preaches about peace and understanding. Do you really think he could kill me?" spat Stefan.

"I don't know, and I'm not going to find out. Stefan, we're your allies. Stop trying to alienate everyone who cares about you. I'm sorry we won't help you, but that doesn't mean you have to hurt us." Charlie winced when she said 'allies.' What did the Cullens need allies for?

Stefan nodded at Renesmee's words, seeming more subdued. "You're right. I'm sorry. You can't stop me from fighting the Italians, but I can't force you to help me."

Suddenly, Renesmee began to cry. 'You'll just die. Jane will torture you and Aro will kill you. You'll be helpless against them. Even with us, you'd be destroyed." Charlie was still scared, but now he felt awkward too. As if he was intruding upon something.

"I know. Renesmee." said Stefan, touching her shoulder. Charlie felt a strong desire to slap the monster's hand off his granddaughter. "I've lived long enough. I may not make a difference, but I'm tired of running. I'm going to face my fears. I don't care if facing my fears involves death. It may have taken me fifteen hundred years to realize that, but I can see that now."

A tear slid down Renesmee's face. Charlie didn't comfort her. He was too scared to even touch her. What was she? "Goodbye." said Renesmee softly. Everything was silent, until Renesmee burst out laughing. "You know," she said, half laughing, half crying, "I think this is the most I've ever heard you say without your brother."

Stefan half-smiled, and said in his strange accent "When I first met you I spoke of gorging out the eyes of the Volturi. Maybe now I'll finally have my chance." And white that as quickly as he had come he was gone. Renesmee was left alone with a terrified, shocked Charlie.

Charlie grabbed Renesmee's arm. "What are you?" he demanded. "What are you?"

Renesmee's eyes filled up with tears, and she said "I'm a half vampire." Charlie ran.

Renesmee sat alone in the forest outside Charlie's house. She knew not to follow him. He needed his time. She curled up on a log and waited for her parents to come find her. She knew that eventually they would be able to track her scent, but she hoped until then they wouldn't be too worried. Renesmee couldn't stop thinking about Charlie and how he ran. How her ran from her. She knew her mother would be even more upset. Bella would hate that her own father was afraid of her. Renesmee began to cry. Stefan and Vladimir were going to die, and her grandfather was afraid of her. This was a horrible day.

Charlie's pov

I can't believe my young granddaughter told me, with tears in her eyes, that she was a half vampire. And I can't believe that I actually believed her.

It's just that everything suddenly came together. The reason the Cullens never ate and the reason they were so cold. If the Cullens were vampires, it meant that Bella must be a vampire too. The Cullens wrecked my little girl. I felt bad for leaving Renesmee in the forest, but I had a feeling she could take care of herself. I just couldn't face her right now.

I didn't have a super hard time accepting that Jacob could turn into a wolf. It was strange, and beyond the realm of what I believed to be possible, but werewolves didn't hurt people. Vampires did. Vampires needed blood to survive, and by the way Stefan said 'hunting' I had a feeling that their primary food source was humans. If vampires killed humans, were the Cullens planning on killing me? In a way, they'd already killed Bella. I wish I had seen what was happening in time to stop it. Now my daughter was lost.

I sat shaking in my house, unable to move. What would happen when Bella came over to pick up Renesmee. What would I say to her? What would she do? Logically, I knew that I should leave my house so that she couldn't find me, but I remained rooted to my spot. I think part of me wanted to see my daughter. To confront her. To see if she was still my daughter. To ask her if she was happy. I had so many questions too. But did I really want answers?