And on the heels of chapter 1 is chapter 2. Normally I don't do multiple chapters right in a row, but I was in just as much suspense as you are right now, and simply had to go on. Like I said, I follow where the characters lead. For the record, this isn't where I thought this was headed, but alas.

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Carlisle very nearly knocked Charlie's hand away, but the damage was already done. He could have stopped it before Charlie had a chance to comprehend what he heard, or rather what he didn't hear, but it would have been just as suspicious. Therefore, he laid perfectly still as he heard Charlie's breath stop and his heart rate increase as he searched for Carlisle's heartbeat. Carlisle could tell when Charlie admitted defeat, because the Chief's heart rate climbed exponentially.

"What the hell is going on here?" He asked sharply. "This is some damned mistake, this thing isn't working properly!" Charlie's voice shook in fear.

"So use it on yourself, or me or Harry here," Billy said evenly. Carlisle could hear when Charlie did just that, feeling an unusual anger flooding him at their foolishness.

"No," Charlie said softly. "No, this can't be right."

Billy sighed again, sympathetically, it sounded like. "I'm sorry Charlie."

"I want to know what the hell is going on around here!" Charlie shouted. Finally, Carlisle could no longer feign sleep. Charlie's heart rate was nearing the danger zone, and he could hear the strain against the walls of his blood vessels as his blood pressure increased. Carlisle's eyes snapped open, and in one smooth motion he extracted himself from Bella's arms and stood, effectively scaring the hell out of all three men.

Charlie was giving him a look that suggested he was completely and totally lost, but Carlisle's eyes were for the two Quileute men. "I would suggest you leave while I do damage control," he said in a whisper laced with fury.

"He deserves to know something's up," Billy said. "He wouldn't listen to us, so something had to be done."

"And you couldn't just leave it be? You couldn't just listen to him and let him stay in the dark? Do you realize what the consequences of this could be? It's dangerous enough that Bella figured it out, at least she can handle the truth. Did you think for a moment what it would do to him?" Carlisle was struggling to keep his voice low, to keep from waking Bella from the first good sleep she had had in months. "I know you don't trust me or the rest of my family, but twisting your way around the treaty is the most foolish thing you've ever done. And if he figures out the truth and it gets back to the people we answer to, that's his life."

Billy finally had the good grace to look ashamed of himself. Clearly he hadn't thought beyond showing Charlie something was up. "Come on Billy, let's get out of here. I told you you were being a damn fool and you didn't listen." Harry looked to Carlisle next. "I'm sorry, I didn't know he was gonna suggest that until it was too late." Carlisle nodded, still too angry to speak.

"This changes things Billy," he said in a low voice. Billy nodded in a resigned way. Clearly, he knew now he should never have done it, but it was far too late for that. The two men left the house without another word, with Charlie watching them the whole way. When the car pulled away, Charlie turned back to stare at Carlisle, distrust in every line of his face.

Carlisle fought his anger, knowing that none of it was Charlie's fault. "I'm sorry about that, and I'm sorry that you got dragged into this," he said wearily. "I don't know where to start."

"Why don't you start by explaining why you don't have a fucking heartbeat!" Charlie shouted. Carlisle winced and lifted a finger to his lips, but it was too late. Bella stirred with a groan, opening her eyes and staring between Charlie's frightened expression and Carlisle's tired one. When her eyes fell on the stethoscope still in Charlie's right hand, comprehension dawned on her face.

"What's going on?" She asked sharply.

Carlisle opened his mouth to explain, but Charlie beat her to it. "Billy and Harry were over. Billy suggested I listen to Carlisle's heart while he was over here sleeping," he said. Bella's brow rose and her hand covered her eyes.

"Dad calm down, it's alright."

"How the hell is it alright?" He shouted. "He doesn't have a pulse! That is not alright Bella!"

"Charlie please try to calm down," Carlisle interjected. "Your heart is going way too fast and if it doesn't slow down you're going to go into cardiac arrest." Charlie gave him a truly bewildered look, and Carlisle belatedly realized his mistake. "Don't ask, just try to calm down. I know you're scared and confused, but that can wait."

"And how the hell am I supposed to manage that?"

Carlisle exaggerated his own breathing, setting a slow pace and motioning for Charlie to imitate him. Giving him a look of deep distrust, Charlie did as he was bade. Slowly, the man's heartbeat began to slow, but Carlisle could tell his blood pressure was still elevated to dangerous levels.

"Please sit, Charlie, you're still in danger of a heart attack or a stroke. I'm not going to lie to you and say I can explain. I can't, but I can tell you that everything you've always said is true."

Charlie gave him a confused look as he slowly sat back down in his chair. The man had been a police officer for two decades, and had clearly perfected his protocol for dealing with things.

Carlisle sat down next to Bella, struggling to find a place to start. "I can't tell you much, but I promise you that I won't lie to you. Is that agreeable?"

Charlie deliberated for several long moments before nodding slowly. "So what can you tell me?"

"That my work is my passion, my reason for existing. My purpose and my only desire in this life has always been to help people. Working in medicine, improving and saving lives, brings me great joy. Giving in to… my nature, shall we say, would be far easier for me. Almost all of those like me do that, without a second thought. But it was never an option for me, and I've fought against it my whole existence."

He could see Charlie nodding slowly, and he was glad. He knew Charlie was an intelligent man, and he had also formed conclusions about Carlisle and the rest of his family long before this. Changing them now would be hard. "Okay," he said warily. His attention shifted, "Bella, what do you know about all of this?"

Bella answered without hesitating. "I know that Carlisle is the most selfless person I've ever met. I know he spent a long time fighting who he is, because he refused to give in. And I know that whatever he thinks," Bella said seriously as her gaze shifted to fall on him, "that he isn't damned."

Carlisle couldn't help but smile gently. "Thank you Bella. As I've said before, you've always been very gracious about us." Bella shrugged as though it weren't a big deal. And to her, he knew it wasn't.

"They're good people, dad. Really. You can't know, I wasn't ever supposed to. It's too dangerous," she said softly. Charlie stared at her intently, clearly fighting with himself.

"If it's dangerous then you shouldn't be involved either," Charlie said.

"Why do you think Edward left me?" She retorted sadly. Charlie looked stricken, clearly he hadn't thought of that, and looked to Carlisle for confirmation. He nodded in agreement.

"It's true. He didn't want her in danger any more, so he made up his mind that we needed to leave. I didn't want to, but he had a good enough point that it was worth trying. Obviously it didn't work out so well," he said sadly.

Bella nodded. "I'll say. Danger magnet, remember?" Carlisle's lips quirked up as Charlie watched them in confusion. "Inside joke," Bella told him with a grin.

Charlie was obviously thinking long and hard, eyes flicking between himself and Bella, though he watched Bella far more closely. Finally, he sighed in resignation. "As much as I want to keep you away Bells, I can't deny what's right in front of me. You've been more lively since you got home today than the last few months combined." His attention shifted to Carlisle. "Just make sure you do your damndest to keep her safe," he said seriously. "I don't know what the hell you are and I sure as hell don't like the fact that you don't have a pulse, but I've known you for a few years now. You've always struck me as a good man, and I believe what you said earlier. Against my better judgement, I'm going to trust you Carlisle." His voice was deadly serious, and Carlisle took him at his word.

"I will protect your daughter with my life, Chief Swan. That I swear." Charlie stood, and Carlisle followed suit. After several moments' hesitation, they shook hands firmly.

Charlie's eyes shifted to Bella then. "What have you gotten yourself into Bells?" He asked tiredly.