A/N: Another short little prompt for you guys. Have to give Charlie some love in this one. As I've said in the first chapter, if anyone would like to give me a request involving the characters of PP, don't be shy! Leave me a review or PM! Enjoy!
Story: Through Heaven and Hell
Chapter Rating: T
Prompt: Imaginary Friend
Charlie loved his daughter with all his heart, through thick and thin. Even if he only had Bella in the summer, he did his damn best to care for her and make her feel at home. He made sure to read books so he could be prepared for the changes he would be presented with each year he saw Bella.
Apparently when you're eight years old you can still have imaginary friends.
It didn't bother Charlie, not at all. When Bella would ask if she could play with Lilith out in the backyard he didn't think twice about it. He made sure that his child wouldn't wander off in the woods and he always made sure to keep an eye on her as she pranced in the grass. Everytime he did check on her, his little girl had the brightest smile on her face and pure unadulterated, childlike laughter spilled from her lips. It brought warmth to Charlie's heart and it always pained him when he had to tell her to come inside.
Bella would almost always pout when that happened, but looking up to what Charlie determined where her imaginary friend was, Bella simply nodded and trudged back into the house.
When Charlie would ask what her imaginary friend was like, Bella could talk his ears off.
"She's the best! She's super strong and pretty and always knows things! She says when I'm bigger, we can go on a ton of adventures together!"
When Charlie asked what her name was, the name wouldn't leave Charlie's name for the next few years.
"Lilith!"
So Lilith was quite literally, Bella's best friend. Each year as she returned to spend time with her father, someway or somehow she would mention Lilith, only the fact that Bella was talking about Lilith less than as an imaginary friend and more of an actual person worried Charlie. Hell, he even called Renee at some point to ask about the issue. Unfortunately his wife couldn't even provide him with information, it was like she wasn't even paying attention to Bella's social life.
Regardless, Lilith became a minor memory locked into the back of his mind until the day came where Bella was going to live with him for the rest of her high school career.
"Hey dad?"
Charlie looked up from fixing one of the lines from his fishing rods, letting Bella know he was all ears.
"One of my friends from school is coming over later, is it alright if she stays for dinner?"
Charlie blinked. Bella was only at the Forks High School for a couple days and she already made friends? He grunted in affirmation, realizing that Bella was waiting for him to reply.
"Sure Bells, I was going to order a pizza if that's alright with you."
His daughter laughed softly and shook her head, "Dad," she started "You would be living off of frozen dinners and take-out if I hadn't come along." Laughing a bit harder, Bella leaned down to give her dad a kiss on the top of his head, causing his face to redden at the show of affection. Bella stated she was going to take a shower and to call her down when her friend comes. She was gone so fast Charlie didn't even get a chance to ask Bella what her friend's name was.
Luckily he didn't have time to wonder, because about ten minutes later, a rather polite knock at the door was heard throughout the house and Charlie prepared himself to face whatever teenaged girl would be at the otherside.
He blinked as he stared at the girl and for some reason an odd sense of familiarity washed over him. The figure in front of him stood tall, a bit of confidence leaking into her stance. The ebony skinned woman grinned sheepishly as Charlie took in the sight of her. She wore a pair of black sweatpants, a large red flannel and to top it off, a black beanie adorned the crown of her head. It wasn't completely on all the way, the telling sign being the coarse black hair peeking out from the hat. Charlie raised a brow at the girl, and black eyes met brown and soon his eyes trailed to the outstretched hand presented to him.
"Hi! You must be Bella's dad, it's nice to meet you Mr. Swan, my name is Lilith."
For a short moment, Charlie felt a rush of vertigo as Lilith uttered her name, it had to be a giant coincidence...but as Bella bounded down the stairs with that familiar bright smile plastered on her face, and as Lilith caught his eye and winked, Charlie knew that this Lilith was Bella's first and real best friend. It didn't matter of how, or as a matter of fact when those two girls met, Charlie couldn't find himself worrying. If Lilith was the one to make his daughter smile like all is right in the world, who is he to question the oddities of their friendship? Imaginary or not.
