Chapter 1: Plane rides and decisions

Charlie POV

Charlie Swan was sitting on his kitchen table toying with the note Bella left him before she run off after that idiot Cullen. His daughter's rebellion and her sudden trip reminded him of himself when he was her age and a small voice told him it was time to return home.

His father, Christopher Swan, always took for granted that his only son would follow up to his own footsteps and take over the family business, a top notch business insurance company based in New Haven. When he didn't, preferring a blue collar job over the glamour of a silk business suit and the two had a massive falling out. Charlie had met Renee during their first semester in Yale, and within a year they had Bella. His parents pushed them to get married and they did. By then Charlie had changed his major, finished his education and went on to become a police officer.

Christopher and Helen, never quite liked Renee and they despised the fact that Charlie had no qualms letting her take their baby granddaughter away from him, relenting only when Charlie and Renee decided on yearly visits. he'd get the baby for the whole summer, every summer and usually the two would spend it in various places with a month long visit at Hartford, where his parents lived.

Charlie and his parents made up years later when during a yearly Fourth of July event Bella thanked them for paying her Preparatory high school and announced she wanted to move in with Charlie after Renee got married to Phil that fall. She never offered any excuse and her grandparents never asked.

Christopher then understood that his son had chosen his own path in life and the two decided upon a yearly allowance of a million dollars that Charlie never touched.

Charlie played with the watch on his left wrist making a decision and served himself another cup of coffee waiting for Bella to come home.

Bella POV

The plane flew smoothly over the Atlantic Ocean and I had to fight to remain awake. I was sitting right next to Edward and Alice was in the seat behind us and the two had one of their silent conversations that I used to love but now I felt... left out and confused. I didn't want to fall asleep so I stopped a stewardess and asked for coffee.

"What size?"

"The biggest, blackest, strongest one you have"

the girl smiled and within minutes she returned to what could easily be described as a fish tank full of coffee. I breathed in the aroma feeling like the coffee addict I've always been, UNTIL I moved in with Charlie who cut me off, and took a sip.

It worked like Panoramix's magic potion and I was jolted awake. I turned my head sideways to avoid the Adonis next to me and kept drinking my coffee contemplating my actions and life ever since Edward left in September.

One thing was for sure. The events in Volterra shook me deeply and things could not remain the same. I couldn't keep floating in the same wave, it's time to move and the creepy vampire leaders made me realize it.

Soon the flight attendant told us to fasten our seatbelts and we landed in Port Angeles. During the long flight from Italy I had tried to ignore the vampire next to my seat but it was impossible and upon seeing the rest of the Cullens looking all pristine and formal, even though it was almost 2am, while thanking her me for saving Edward something snapped inside me.

Esme walked up to hug me and the little devil on my shoulder kicked the little angel away taking control over my mouth. I took a step back avoiding her hug.

"Thank me? You want to thank me? That idiot tried to pull a Romeo and I had to get my ass on the line and you want to thank me? What's the matter with you people? The moment things get rough you run with your tails between your legs and you leave not caring about the danger you're leaving me in and to top it all he pulls a childish stint like that and you thank me?"

I took some steps away my head suddenly clearing of the haze I've been living in.

"I thought I knew you. I thought I loved you but... I don't care anymore. You were right Rosalie, our worlds should never be mixed. Fix the Victoria mess and stay the hell away from me"

I turned around and walked away opting to take a taxi then let the Cullens drive me. I didn't look back as the taxi drove fast.

When I got home Charlie was sitting at the table drinking coffee, looking through a notebook looking seriously pissed. To my extreme surprise he hugged me.

"Please tell me you're done with him now"

"I am"

"good. get to bed, you look like a walking corpse"

I nodded, yawned and promptly fell asleep on my bed completely dressed. I never saw Charlie making himself comfortable on my old rocking chair cuddling his trusty rifle. I also never saw Edward climbing inside the room only to back out the moment said rocking chair creaked under Charlie's weight as he shifted position. next morning I woke up to find Charlie cooking breakfast. Eggs, bacon and toast.

"breakfast of the champions I see"

"when was the last time you ate Bells? Besides, we're celebrating"

"celebrating what?"

"those"

he motioned to four large envelopes and a smaller one. He was grinning like the Cheshire cat that ate a whole flock of canaries. Arizona state, Washington State, Miami U and Yale.

"Acceptance letters? I haven't even graduated highschool yet!"

"I spoke with your advisor when I got you off yesterday. You have the credits to graduate early"

"And Yale? I only applied to Arizona, Washington and Miami to be close to you and mom"

"I called in a favor. You can start early at Yale, use the extra time to either figure out what you want to do or start early"

I shook my head overwhelmed

"what about money? tuition fees?"

"do you wanna do it Bells? yay or nay?"

I nodded my head excited at the prospect. Charlie smiled at me, finished his breakfast and said something about showering but I wasn't listening. My mind was running responsibilities and actions. School could be over but I still had Victoria chasing after me, not to mention the Volturi would eventually come for me, probably killing everyone in town once they find out I'm still human.

Honestly though... Do I even care? I mean I know no one told me that getting involved with Edward would end badly and the James thing proved it out and now there's a crazed Victoria after me but... it wasn't supposed to be this way.

The whole Volturi deal is solely Edward's fault, he wanted to commit suicide when he found out that I was dead, he could light a fire in his back yard and jump in. Why go to the Volturi and out me (and his family) that they broke the law? Not to mention that he read James' mind. Shouldn't he have realized how importance he and Victoria were to each other? Can I leave and let the Cullens and the wolf pack deal with it? As I washed the breakfast dishes absently the answer was clear.

Yes.

Charlie came back downstairs dressed in his uniform. I bit my lip.

"Can you drop me off at Jake's? I hurt him badly when I left with Alice and I'm pretty sure it will go better if we're together"

I drawled my mine drawing up an image of Edward camping out on the road to la push. as if reading my mind Charlie nodded.

"Give me a moment to change clothes 'k? I stink of airplane"

I stripped off my clothes and changed quickly in jeans and a white top with a pair of comfortable red boots. For once my eyes had no bags underneath them and while Charlie drove us to la push I pulled my unruly bedhair into a french braid.

"need me to wait?"

I was jolted off my thoughts as Charlie pulled over on the beach where I could see Jake kicking a ball with Embry and Quil. I steeled my nerves and got out of the car.

"No, I've got it"